title: Stereology of the myocardium in two species of Callithrix (Callitrichidae, primates).
abstract: The majority of studies on cardiac morphology have concentrated on Old World monkeys. Ten marmoset hearts of the genus Callithrix were studied (5 hearts of C. jacchus and 5 of C. penicillata), dissected and fixed in a 10% buffered formaldehyde solution, pH 7.2. Unbiased stereological estimates were obtained from isotropic uniform random sections of the myocardium. For stereological quantification the myocardium was regarded as consisting of cardiac myocytes and interstitium. The volume density (Vv) was determined by point counting. We used the disector method to obtain the numerical density of the cardiac myocytes (Nv[nuclei]). Myocardial stereological differences between the two species of marmoset were not statistically significant. We can therefore determine the pooled Vv[myocyte] and Nv[nuclei] as 68.6% and 41.6% (10(3)/mm3) respectively. The values found for Vv[myocyte] and Nv[nuclei] in the marmoset are respectively about 23.0 and 92.0% greater than those of the baboon, and respectively 57.3 and 45.5% greater than those in man. In contrast, the mean myocyte volume in the marmoset is not significantly different to that of man but is almost 36.0% less than that of the baboon.
authors.affiliation: State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Laboratory of Morphometry and Cardiovascular Morphology, Brazil.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Burity
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mandarim-de-Lacerda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pissinatti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002144:Callithrix / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D048429:Cell Size; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology*