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Cerebellar capillaries

Qualitative and quantitative observations in young and senile rats

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Summary

Ultrastructural changes including reduced electron density, reduction in polysomes and cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum occur in the cytoplasm of endothelial cells and pericytes in the cerebellar cortex of senile virgin female Han: WIST-rats in comparison to 3-month old virgin rats. Processes of pericytes cover less of the capillary surface in the cerebellar cortex of senile rats; moreover, arithmetic and harmonic mean thickness of the endothelium and relative volume of mitochondria in endothelial cells and pericytes are reduced, whereas the luminal diameter of the capillaries, harmonic and arithmetic mean thickness of pericytes and their processes and of the basal laminae between endothelial cells and astrocytes (abbreviated BAL 1), pericytes and astrocytes (BAL 2) and endothelial cells and pericytes (BAL 3) increase. The increase in harmonic mean thickness of the basal laminae is statistically significant (α≦0.05) and compensates for a decrease in thickness of capillary endothelium. Consequently, the total barrier mass and thickness of cerebellar cortical capillaries in senile animals is higher than in young individuals.

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  1. Abteilung Anatomie der RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Bundesrepublik Deutschland

    H. Heinsen & Y. L. Heinsen

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  1. H. Heinsen
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Dedicated to Kwee Boen Swan, Surabaya (Indonesia)

Supported by a grant from the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft” (La 184/7)

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Heinsen, H., Heinsen, Y.L. Cerebellar capillaries. Anat Embryol 168, 101–116 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00305402

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