ISCHEMIC CAROTID ENDOTHELIUM - TRANSMISSION ELECTRON-MICROSCOPIC STUDIES

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 100  (10) , 522-526
Abstract
The endothelium of rhesus monkey and rabbit common carotid arteries subjected to ischemia was examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The right carotid artery of 24 monkeys was occluded by proximal and distal placement of removable surgical clips for periods ranging from 5 min to 4 h. A single clip was used to occlude the right carotid artery of 15 rabbits for periods ranging from 5 to 30 min. With TEM, numerous blebs, intracytoplasmic vacuoles, membranous whorls and pseudopodia were found in the endothelium of arterial segments subjected to ischemia by double or single clipping for as little as 5 min. Following occlusion of 1 h or longer, disruption of interendothelial junctions was also noted. These TEM findings were compared with earlier TEM studies of the response of endothelium to other injurious stimuli and with previous scanning electron microscopic studies in which the same ischemic models were utilized.