title: Functional capillary organization in striated muscle.
abstract: In striated muscle, capillaries occur as independent network groups. Network architecture was quantitated in cremaster muscle of pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized hamsters in three age groups [51 +/- 1 (SE), 65 +/- 1, and 79 +/- 1 days old]. We observed that networks consist of independent subgroups of capillaries, called modules. Module architecture did not vary significantly with age during maximal dilation (Max, 10(-4) M adenosine): tissue area (A) = 1.87 +/- 0.16, 1.19 +/- 0.13, and 1.81 +/- 0.3 x 10(5) microns 2; total segment length (sigma L) = 3.07 +/- 0.23, 2.15 +/- 0.21, and 3.02 +/- 0.45 x 10(3) microns; and segment number (N) = 14.5 +/- 1.1, 9.9 +/- 1.1, and 12.6 +/- 1.6, at ages 51, 65, and 79 days, respectively. Max module architecture was not different at 65 days of age at a second site of known higher O2 inflow: A = 2.03 +/- 0.32 x 10(5) microns 2; sigma L = 3.07 +/- 0.47 x 10(3) microns; and N = 13.1 +/- 2.1. During control conditions (Rest) there was also no significant difference with age: A = 1.68 +/- 0.18, 1.15 +/- 0.19, and 1.64 +/- 0.24 x 10(5) microns 2; sigma L = 2.31 +/- 0.23, 1.91 +/- 0.33, and 2.82 +/- 0.37 x 10(3) microns; N = 10.2 +/- 1.0, 7.8 +/- 1.3, and 11.0 +/- 1.4, at ages 51, 65, and 79 days, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, New York 14642.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Sarelius
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002196:Capillaries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D006224:Cricetinae; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D024510:Muscle Development; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000254:growth & development; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology