title: Scanning electron microscope evidence of telocytes in vasculature.
abstract: Here, we here present scanning electron microscope data for the existent telocytes (TCs) on the endothelial surface of the wall of pig coronary arteries, internal thoracic arteries and carotid arteries. These cells have a small (8.39 ± 1.97 μm/4.95 ± 0.91 μm) cell body of different shapes (from round to triangular, depending on the number of cellular prolongations) with very long (of about 30 μm) and thin cellular processes called telopodes (Tps), which have uneven calibre. The number of Tps ranges between 2 and 6. Tps typically present the alternation of podoms and podomers, and also have a dichotomic branching pattern. These data could influence the current attempts for elucidating the role(s) of TCs.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Physiology and Medicine/Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Hongnian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Junbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Hongqi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods*; D013552:Swine; D013895:Thoracic Arteries / Q000648:ultrastructure*
keywords: arteries; endothelium; scanning electron microscopy; telocytes; telopodes