• 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 48  (1) , 25-34
Abstract
Groups of rats were injected with endotoxin (Escherichia coli, 3 mg/kg of body wt) over a 10 min period and perfusion fixed at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 18, 20, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h later. Studies on aortic endothelium of these animals revealed no endothelial cell denudation and no exposure of the subendothelium. By 20 h many cells had attached to the intact endothelial monolayer; some of these cells could be identified as desquamating endothelial cells. Autoradiographs revealed a marked increase in endothelial cell replication between 24-96 h. Since there was no change in the number of cells per unit area, endotoxin in the rat produces desquamation with simultaneous replacement by cell movement and cell replication.