title: Appearance of the capillary endothelial glycocalyx in chronically stimulated rat skeletal muscles in relation to angiogenesis.
abstract: The endothelial glycocalyx layer of capillaries was stained with Ruthenium Red and examined by transmission electron microscopy in rat extensor hallucis proprius muscles after 2 or 4 days of indirect electrical stimulation via implanted electrodes. The layer appeared continuous on the luminal surface of 63% capillaries in control muscles and absent 13%. This situation was reversed in muscles stimulated for 2 or 4 days, with a continuous layer in 12 and 10% of capillaries and no glycocalyx in 44 and 58%, respectively. The greater disruption of the endothelial luminal glycocalyx in capillaries from stimulated muscles suggests that flow-related shear forces on endothelial cells could be important signals for initiation of angiogenesis in actively contracting skeletal muscle.
authors.affiliation: School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Egginton
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hudlicka
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D019276:Glycocalyx / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley