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Morphometric analysis of the rabbit myocardium after chronic ethanol feeding — early capillary changes

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Summary

Male rabbits were fed with ethanol for 3 weeks. 10 ml of a 20% ethanol solution were applied daily with a stomach tube. The macroscopic, histologic and ultrastructural investigation of the hearts did not reveal any structural alterations. Morphometrically, the endothelial cells of the capillaries were changed, whereas the muscle cells did not show any abnormalities. The quantitative data indicate that the numerical density of endothelial cells is increased, whereas the volume density is not changed. This type of quantitative reaction pattern may be characterized as “proliferation” of endothelial cells. The proliferation is possibly related to ethanol-induced metabolic changes similar to chronic hypoxia. On the other hand, there is some evidence that the alteration is part of a general activation of mesenchymal cells in various organs after ethanol ingestion. The alteration is probably an early stage of the proliferation of capillaries.

Zusammenfassung

Männliche Kaninchen wurden 3 Wochen lang mit Äthanol gefüttert. 10 ml einer 20%igen Äthanollösung wurden täglich mit einer Schlundsonde verabreicht. Die makroskopische, mikroskopische und ultrastrukturelle Untersuchung der Herzen ergab keine eindeutigen strukturellen Veränderungen. Morphometrisch waren die Endothelzellen der Kapillaren verändert, während die Muskelzellen keine abnormen quantitativen Parameter aufwiesen. Die Daten zeigen, daß die numerische Dichte der Endothelzellen erhöht ist, während die Volumendichte nicht signifikant verändert ist. Diesen Typus eines quantitativen Reaktionsmusters kann man als „Proliferation” charakterisieren. Die Proliferation beruht möglicherweise auf Äthanol-induzierten metabolischen Veränderungen, die denen bei chronischer Hypoxie ähnlich sind. Andererseits gibt es Anhaltspunkte dafür, daß die Reaktion Teil einer allgemeinen Mesenchymaktivierung nach Alkoholgabe ist, die in verschiedenen Organen beobachtet werden kann. Die Veränderung entspricht wahrscheinlich der frühen Phase einer Kapillarproliferation.

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Author notes

  1. G. Mall

    Present address: Pathologisches institut der universität, Im Neuenheimer Feld 220/221, D-6900, Heidelberg 1

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Pathology and Neuropathology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Deutschland

    G. Mall, T. Mattfeldt, P. Rieger, B. Volk & V. A. Frolov

  2. Department of Pathological Physiology, Lumumba University, Moscow

    G. Mall, T. Mattfeldt, P. Rieger, B. Volk & V. A. Frolov

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  1. G. Mall
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  2. T. Mattfeldt
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  3. P. Rieger
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  4. B. Volk
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  5. V. A. Frolov
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Additional information

The study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 90, Cardiovasculäres System) and by the Lumumba University in Moscow

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Mall, G., Mattfeldt, T., Rieger, P. et al. Morphometric analysis of the rabbit myocardium after chronic ethanol feeding — early capillary changes. Basic Res Cardiol 77, 57–67 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01908131

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