Effect of Long-Term Physical Stress on Collagen Growth in the Lung, Heart, and Femur of Young and Adult Rats

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Male Wistar rats, 1.8 and 7.5 months old, were adapted to exercise on the treadmill for a period of 7 weeks. The animals were trained 3 h daily at the treadmill speed of 24 m/min. Wet and dry weights and collagenous hydroxyl-proline content in the lung, heart, and femur were analyzed. Physical stress did not affect any of the parameters studied in the lung. Cardiomegaly developed only in the young rats exposed to training. There was significantly higher total amount and density of collagen in the hyper-trophic heart. In contrast to the reactivity of the heart to physical stress, the amount and density of collagen in the femora was significantly increased only in the adult rats. There was no effect on the content of calcium in the bone. The calcium-collagen ratio was, therefore, significantly lower in the trained rats. It is concluded that collagen in every organ reacts differently to physical stress in relation to age.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: