Changes in the microvascular network during cardiac growth, development, and aging.
Quantitative changes in the terminal vascular bed of the mammalian heart were assessed during postnatal development and aging. The most striking feature is a considerable formation of new capillaries in the early postnatal period, accompanied by a moderate formation of new arterioles. On the other hand, coronary arterioles seem to disappear at a higher rate than capillaries in the senescent heart. We proposed a three-dimensional structural model of tissue capillary supply, defined as capillary domain area times capillary segment length. This so called capillary supply unit increases as a function of age and body growth. It is very similar in size and shape (length to width ratio) to cardiac myocytes.
Department of Physiology, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada.
K
K
Rakusan
N
N
Cicutti
M F
MF
Flanagan
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D001160:Arterioles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D002196:Capillaries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D048429:Cell Size; D002648:Child; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D051379:Mice; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D051381:Rats