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Vasa vasorum growth in the coronary arteries of newborn pigs

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Abstract

Experimental studies have shown that a “plexus” of vasa vasorum already exists in fetal arteries. In this study we examine the further development of vasa vasorum in the newborn. Hearts from 1- and 6-month-old pigs were harvested and infused with Microfil via the aortic ostia of the coronary arteries at physiological pressure (100 mmHg). Coronary arteries (RCA, LAD, and LCX) were then isolated and scanned intact with micro-CT (20 μm cubic voxel size). Using Analyze 5.0 software we digitally isolated individual vasa vasorum trees (eight from 1-month-old and eight from 6-month-old pigs) and measured geometrical data such as interbranch segmental diameters, lengths, and branching angles as well as mother-daughter branch relationships for all segments of each vasa vasorum tree structure. Also, we determined the volume of vessel wall perfused by individual vasa vasorum trees. Our results show that the vasa vasorum architecture in newborn pigs is already tree-like, and this structure as well as the volume of vessel wall perfused by it expand in concert with the growth of the host coronary artery. We give quantitative details of this growth of vasa vasorum in terms of its branching architecture and hemodynamic capacity, based on direct measurements from 3D images of this microvasculature.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded in part by the National Institute of Health, grant numbers HL65342 and EB000305. We thank Julie M. Patterson for help with the figures and Patricia E. Beighley for help during the animal experiments and specimen acquisition. Additional thanks to Delories C. Darling for editing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physiological Imaging Research Laboratory, Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA

    Mario Gössl & Erik L. Ritman

  2. Departments of Applied Mathematics and of Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada

    Mair Zamir

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  1. Mario Gössl
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  2. Mair Zamir
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  3. Erik L. Ritman
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Correspondence to Erik L. Ritman.

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Gössl, M., Zamir, M. & Ritman, E.L. Vasa vasorum growth in the coronary arteries of newborn pigs. Anat Embryol 208, 351–357 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-004-0400-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-004-0400-7

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