Premium
Coil‐like structure of the inner core of chordae tendineae
Author(s) -
Sato Iwao
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
clinical anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1098-2353
pISSN - 0897-3806
DOI - 10.1002/ca.10020
Subject(s) - chordae tendineae , anatomy , medicine , cadaver , core (optical fiber) , materials science , surgery , composite material , mitral valve
Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the chordae tendineae in young (∼20 years old) and old (∼85 years old) cadavers. A network of collagen fibrils was observed in both the outer and intersurface layers of the chordae tendineae. In young subjects, a regularly arranged series of disconnected collagenous ring‐like structures surrounded the longitudinal collagen bundles forming the inner core of the chordae tendineae. In old subjects, the ring‐like structures of the chordae tendineae were few or absent. The ring‐like structures may be related to reducing mechanical stress during the tightening, twisting, and slackening of the chordae tendineae. Clin. Anat. Month:196–198, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.