Ascending aorta of hooded seals with particular emphasis on its vasa vasorum.
The pressure-volume relationship in the ascending aorta ("windkessel") of the hooded seal was determined and the morphology of its vasa vasorum described in some detail. We found that the ascending aorta has a high compliance and can easily accommodate the entire stroke volume when the peripheral vascular resistance becomes much increased and maintain perfusion pressure during the much extended diastole and thereby reduce cardiac stroke work during diving. We also found that the 3- to 5-mm thick wall of the ascending aorta had a very elaborate vasa vasorum interna with a hitherto undescribed vascular structure that penetrates the entire vascular wall. If similar structures with similar importance for the nutrition of the wall of the vessel are found in humans, important implications for the understanding of pathological conditions, such as aneurisms, may be indicated.
Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; St.Catharine's College, Cambridge, United Kingdom; asb000@uit.no.
Arnoldus Schytte
AS
Blix
Medical Imaging research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; and.
Samuel
S
Kuttner
Institute of Oral Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Edward B
EB
Messelt
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001810:Blood Volume / Q000502:physiology; D003187:Compliance; D006801:Humans; D011817:Rabbits; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000378:metabolism*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D014651:Vasa Vasorum / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D014655:Vascular Resistance
aortic aneurysm; hooded seal; vasa vasorum