[Anatomy of heart in banna mini-pig inbred-lines].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the heart anatomic and histological structure of the Banna mini-pig inbred-lined and to provide the morphological data for heart xenotransplantation and breeding transgens pig.


METHODS
Ten Banna mini-pigs (12-18 months old) were affused and fixed by common coratid artery. The heart were observed and measured by gross anatomy and histology.


RESULTS
There were many similarities between the Banna pig heart and the human heart in anatomy and histology. However, the following differences were observed in the Banna pig heart: 1. Azygos vein directly drew into right atrium cordis. 2. The intercalated disk of cardiac muscle was less than that of human. 3. The Purkinje's fibre was bigger than that of human.


CONCLUSIONS
On the morphology and histology, the structure of Banna pig heart is similar to the heart of human being. It is possible that Banna minipig heart becomes organ donors for xenotransplantation.
Zhang
Wei
W
Department of Anatomy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, P. R. China 400038.
Ying
Da-jun
DJ
Sun
Jian-sen
JS
D000818:Animals; D017849:Animals, Inbred Strains; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D013556:Swine, Miniature / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous