November 1998. Analysis of left ventricular myocardial biopsy specimens upon initial left ventricular assist device implantation. A) Photomicrograph shows moderate myocyte hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis (picrosirius red stain, orig. ×10).
Reproduced with permission, from Razeghi P, Myers TJ, Frazier OH, Taegtmeyer H. Reverse remodeling of the failing human heart with mechanical unloading. Emerging concepts and unanswered questions. Cardiology 2002;98(4):167–74.5 Copyright ©2003, Karger Publishers; Basel, Switzerland.
B) Transmission electron microscopic image shows few sarcomeres or mitochondria, large amounts of unspecified cytoplasm, and dark spots that are presumably nuclear heterochromatin.