title: Hypertrophic Z-line observed in aged one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius).
abstract: The ultrastructure of cardiac muscle from 3 aged one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) was examined to see if aged camels also develop hypertrophic Z-lines as observed in the heart of aged humans and other animals. The results proved that the aged camel heart develops hypertrophic Z-lines together with other age-associated alterations, including loss of myofibrils and myofilaments, increase of intermyofibrillar spaces and intercellular spaces, and disruption of mitochondrial cristae and intercalated disc structure. Hypertrophic Z-lines are somewhat smaller than those of other species, but occur both in the atria and ventricles. Although the majority of cardiac muscle samples revealed a normal structure, the finding of hypertrophic Z-lines in camel heart is the first such observation in a ruminant animal. The anomalous camel muscle resembles that of other species in terms of cell alterations commonly associated with aged hearts.
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, University of Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karkoura
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tangkawattana
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamano
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takehana
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izumisawa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Masty
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002162:Camelus; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009206:Myocardium / Q000648:ultrastructure*