Subendothelial fibrillar laminae in the carotid arteries of the giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis).
The endothelium in the carotid arteries of the giraffe lies on an extensive basement membrane complex that has a distinctly fibrillar component. Small electron-dense areas occur in the basal portion of the endothelium and normally in apposition to the fibrillar laminae of the basement membrane. These zones are believed here to constitute hemi-desmosomes where endothelial attachment may be most tenacious.
D000818:Animals; D001188:Artiodactyla / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003896:Desmosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004727:Endothelium / Q000648:ultrastructure