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Vascularization of the brains of the Atlantic and Pacific hagfishes, Myxine glutinosa and Eptatretus stouti : A scanning electron microscope study of vascular corrosion casts
Author(s) -
Cecon Stephan,
Minnich Bernd,
Lametschwandtner Alois
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.1112
Subject(s) - biology , perforating arteries , anatomy , cerebral arteries , hypothalamus , thalamus , artery , medicine , endocrinology , neuroscience
The microvascularization of the brains of the hagfishes, Myxine glutinosa L . and Eptatretus stouti , were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of microvascular corrosion casts. Sections of these casts were used to determine the vascular territories of defined brain areas. Histological serial sections (10 μm) of the brains served for correlation of findings. Analysis of the microvascular casts of both species revealed that the blood supply to and from these brains arose ventrally and dorsally, respectively. Neither species possesses an arterial circle (Circulus Willisi) and both have similar microvascular patterns. The only difference between Myxine and Eptatretus was that the posterior cerebral artery in Myxine divides into mesencephalic and rhombencephalic branches , and in Eptatretus a third branch, termed telencephalic branch, arises from the posterior cerebral artery. 3D‐morphometry revealed that luminal diameters of: 1) intracerebral arteries and arterioles range from 35.11 ± 5.66 μm (mean ± SEM) in the hypothalamus to 92.69 ± 14.48 μm in the thalamus; 2) capillaries range from 17.8 ± 0.44 μm in the olfactory bulb to 21.70 ± 0.87 μm in the basal ganglia; and 3) intracerebral venules and veins range from 49.38 ± 4.17 μm in the hypothalamus to 75.58 ± 6.59 μm in the rhombencephalon. Interbranching distances of arteries and arterioles range from 179.19 ± 11.32 μm in the optic tectum to 235.19 ± 94.64 μm in the hypothalamus. Capillaries range from 91.07 ± 6.22 μm in the hypothalamus to 116.15 ± 9.45 μm in the thalamus, and venules and veins range from 137.30 ± 18.11 μm in the hypothalamus to 189.83 ± 17.47 μm in the optic tectum. Intervascular distances range from 70.58 ± 3.58 μm in the olfactory bulb to 89.52 ± 5.74 μm in the optic tectum. Branching angles of arteries and arterioles range from 38.39 ± 10.9° in the olfactory bulb to 100.73 ± 9.4° in the optic tectum, and the branching angles of capillaries range from 74.40 ± 5.42° in the optic tectum to 90.24 ± 4.66° in the olfactory bulb. Finally, the branching angles of the venules and veins range from 67.84 ± 6.83° in the tegmentum of the mesencephalon to 92.30 ± 6.35° in the optic tectum. J. Morphol. 253:51–63, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.