title: Geometry of coronary capillaries in hyperthyroid and hypothyroid rat heart.
abstract: Coronary capillary geometry was studied in male rats treated with 3,3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3; Hyper), 6-N-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU; Hypo), or a sequence of PTU and T3 (Hypo/Hyper). Ventricular mass and heart-to-body mass ratios revealed myocardial hypertrophy in Hyper, atrophy in Hypo, and a return of ventricular mass to control (Con) values in Hypo/Hyper rats. From cross-sectional analysis, capillary densities for Hyper and Hypo/Hyper were comparable with Con, despite increased left ventricular mass. Hypo rats demonstrated increased capillary density. In Hyper and Hypo rats, tissue area surrounding individual capillaries (capillary domain) decreased, compared with Con, for capillaries close to the feeding arteriole. In Hyper and Hypo/Hyper, capillaries distal to the feeding arteriole had similar domain areas as Con; in Hypo, this area was smaller. From longitudinal analysis, capillary segment lengths were significantly shorter in all groups compared with Con. Our data suggest that while hypothyroidism induced myocardial atrophy and hyperthyroidism induced myocardial hypertrophy, both thyroid states stimulated capillary proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Canada.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Heron
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rakusan
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000209:etiology; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4; D004152:Dipeptidyl-Peptidases and Tripeptidyl-Peptidases; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D011441:Propylthiouracil / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012834:Silver; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014284:Triiodothyronine; D012834:Silver; D011441:Propylthiouracil; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D004152:Dipeptidyl-Peptidases and Tripeptidyl-Peptidases; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4