1993 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Morphological approach to mechanical interaction between vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells
| Project/Area Number |
03454119
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
General anatomy (including Histology/Embryology)
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| Research Institution | Juntendo University School of Medicine |
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Principal Investigator |
SAKAI Tatuo Juntendo University School of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (90114488)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KOBAYASHI N. Juntendo University School of Medicine, Assistant, 医学部, 助手 (50234836)
KOIZUMI K. Juntendo University School of Medicine, Assistant, 医学部, 助手 (40053342)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1991 – 1993
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| Keywords | Kidney / Artery / Endothelial cell / Cytoskeleton / Contraction / Inner elastic lamina / Smooth muscle cells / Electron microscopy |
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| Research Abstract |
Mechanical role of the cells and extracellular matrices in blood vessels was examined morphologically in the renal glomeruli and arteries. The present study revealed the following findings. 1) The mesangium cells represent skeleton of the glomerulus. Their contractile apparatus pulls the glomerular basement membrane inwardly. In the isolated perfused kidneys, the insufficiency of the contractility brings about dramatic structural changes including widening of the capillaries. 2) The main mechanical structure in the glomerular filtration barrier is represented by the glomerular basement membrane. The ultrastructure of basement membranes in various places in the kidney showed considerable heterogeneity depending on the mechanical conditions in the places. In arteries in the kidney, endothelial actin filaments and form of inner elastic lamina showed considerable heterogeneity depending on the places of arteries. Especially in the distal interlobular artery, stress fibers in the endothelial cells are mechanically coupled with meshwork of elastic fibers in the inner elastic lamina. These findings suggest that the endothelial contractile apparatus serves to maintain structure, and to regulate state of contraction of these arteries.
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