Summary
The luminal surface features and Junctional complexes from developing blood vessels in the rat central nervous system have been studied by high-voltage electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Developing blood vessels exhibit three types of luminal projections; marginal folds or ridges at Junctional complexes, ridges not at Junctional complexes and microvilli. Both types of ridges are associated with troughs or depressions in the luminal surface of the endothelial cell. Those ridges not associated with Junctional complexes take part in the production of enclosed tunnels in the endothelial cell cytoplasm. Fusion of the external leaflets of Junctional complexes between adjacent endothelial cells occurred, initially, near the luminal surface of the blood vessel with other small fusion sites forming in the direction of the basal lamina secondarily. Further fusion activity to produce the zonula occludens type junction appeared to spread outwards from the smaller fusion sites.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Caley, D.W., Maxwell, D.S.: Development of the blood vessels and extracellular spaces during postnatal maturation of rat cerebral cortex. J. comp. Neurol. 138, 31–48 (1970)
Delorme, P.: Différenciation ultrastructural des jonctions intercellulaires de l'endothélium des capillaires télencéphaliques chez l'embryon de poulet. Z. Zellforsch. 133, 571–582 (1972)
Donahue, S.: A relationship between fine structure and function of blood vessels in the central nervous system of rabbit fetuses. Amer. J. Anat. 115, 17–26 (1964)
Donahue, S., Pappas, G.D.: The fine structure of capillaries in the cerebral cortex of the rat at various stages of development. Amer. J. Anat. 108, 331–348 (1961)
Fawcett, D.W.: The cell, pp. 394–401. Philadelphia: Saunders 1966
Hannah, R.S., Nathaniel, E.J.H.: The postnatal development of blood vessels in the substantia gelatinosa of rat cervical cord — an ultrastructural study. Anat. Rec. 178, 691–710 (1974)
Kenny, T.P., Shivers, R.R.: The blood-brain barrier in a reptile, Anolis carolinensis. Tissue & Cell 6 (2), 319–333 (1974)
Majno, G.: Sec. 2 Circulation, Vol. 3. In: Handbook of physiology (W.F. Hamilton and P. Dow, eds.), pp. 2293–2375. American Physiological Society 1965
Phelps, C.H.: The development of glio-vascular relationships in the rat spinal cord. Z. Zellforsch. 128, 555–563 (1972)
Smith, V., Ryan, J.W., Michie, D.D., Smith, D.S.: Endothelial projections as revealed by scanning electron microscopy. Science 173, 925–927 (1971)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported in part by a NIH HVEM Travel Grant and the Medical College of Georgia
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hannah, R.S. Three-dimensional development of luminal projections and junctional complexes in the developing central nervous system blood vessels of the rat. Cell Tissue Res. 175, 541–549 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00222417
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00222417