Morphological and cytoskeletal changes in endothelial cells of vein grafts under arterial hemodynamic conditions in vivo.
To understand venous endothelial adaptation to arterial hemodynamics in vivo, changes in surface morphology and stress fiber distribution in the endothelial cells of an autologous vein graft transplanted to a rabbit femoral artery were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy, respectively. After transplantation, the shape index (length of cellular long axis/short axis) of the endothelial cells in the graft was intermediate between those of control arteries and veins, and persisted almost unchanged up to week 16. In contrast, the expression of intracellular stress fibers changed; stress fibers of the endothelial cells in the graft were rare shortly after the operation, but gradually developed and increased both in number and thickness, to a level similar to that in the control arterial endothelial cells by week 16. These results suggest that venous endothelial cells, subjected to hemodynamic change, maintain their shape through stress fiber development.
Yoshida
K
K
Department of Surgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Sugimoto
K
K
D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton; D000818:Animals; D003599:Cytoskeleton; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D014680:Veins / Q000637:transplantation*