The intraorgan lymphatic system of the rat left ventricle in normalcy and aging

Intracardiac lymphatic vessels of the rat heart left ventricle were studied quantitatively at the ultrastructural level in order to establish baseline morphometric data and also to assess age-related variability in the accepted visible macromolecular transport pathways. Lymphatic vessels were found in both epicardial and myocardial areas. No endocardial lymphatics were found. Both intercellular and transendothelial visible macromolecular transport pathways were examined in 3, 6, 12, 18, and 28 month old animals. No age-related variations were seen in measurements of intercellular transport pathways, represented by dilatations and channels between adjacent endothelial cells. Transendothelial pathways, represented by cytoplasmic vesicles, showed many significant variations in quantitative measurements among the 5 age groups studied. These changes included an increase with aging in the thickness of myocardial lymphatic endothelial cells, increases and decreases in the mean diameters of lymphatic endothelial vesicles, and a decrease between 6 and 12 month animals in the volume density of lymphatic cytoplasmic vesicles. These age-related variations may have a direct relationship to similar variations in macromolecular transport capacity.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Doyle, Michael David

Contributors dc:contributor

• O'Morchoe, Patricia J.

• Biology, Anatomy
• Biology, Cell
• Computer Science

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1991 Doyle, Michael David

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9210786
(UMI)AAI9210786

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/18927