Abstract
The anatomy of the vasa vasorum of the carotid arteries was assessed by light and electron microscopy in a series of 25 New Zealand White male rabbits. The low viscosity acrylic resin, LR White, was used to cast the microvasculature. The carotid artery was found to have an endothelial monolayer placed directly upon a broad fenestrated internal elastic lamina. The media consisted of 12-18 laminae comprised of smooth muscle cells, elastin, collagen and ground substance. Vasa vasorum were confined to the adventitial layer, with no penetration into the media. They arose directly from the lumen of the carotid artery in addition to the arterial branching points. The potential role of the vasa vasorum in the aetiology of atherosclerotic plaques is discussed.
Full text
PDF
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Booth R. F., Martin J. F., Honey A. C., Hassall D. G., Beesley J. E., Moncada S. Rapid development of atherosclerotic lesions in the rabbit carotid artery induced by perivascular manipulation. Atherosclerosis. 1989 Apr;76(2-3):257–268. doi: 10.1016/0021-9150(89)90109-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- GEIRINGER E. Intimal vascularization and atherosclerosis. J Pathol Bacteriol. 1951 Apr;63(2):201–211. doi: 10.1002/path.1700630204. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Heistad D. D., Marcus M. L. Role of vasa vasorum in nourishment of the aorta. Blood Vessels. 1979;16(5):225–238. doi: 10.1159/000158209. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Martin J. F., Booth R. F., Moncada S. Arterial wall hypoxia following thrombosis of the vasa vasorum is an initial lesion in atherosclerosis. Eur J Clin Invest. 1991 Jun;21(3):355–359. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2362.1991.tb01382.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ross R. The pathogenesis of atherosclerosis--an update. N Engl J Med. 1986 Feb 20;314(8):488–500. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198602203140806. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wilens S. L., Malcolm J. A., Vazquez J. M. Experimental infarction (medial necrosis) of the dog's aorta. Am J Pathol. 1965 Oct;47(4):695–711. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wolinsky H., Glagov S. Nature of species differences in the medial distribution of aortic vasa vasorum in mammals. Circ Res. 1967 Apr;20(4):409–421. doi: 10.1161/01.res.20.4.409. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]