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In vivo morphometric analysis of muscle microcirculation in dystrophic mice
Author(s) -
Burch Thomas G.,
Prewitt Russell L.,
Law Peter K.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.880040511
Subject(s) - microcirculation , anatomy , blood flow , capillary action , red blood cell , muscular dystrophy , myocyte , chemistry , capillary length , in vivo , muscle tissue , biology , medicine , endocrinology , materials science , microbiology and biotechnology , composite material
Abstract In order to test the vascular hypothesis of muscular dystrophy, the gracilis muscle in 6hyphen; to 7hyphen;weekhyphen;old C57BL/6Jhyphen;dy 2J normal and dystrophic mice was studied using in vivo quantitative morphometric techniques to determine the total length and surface area of capillaries in which blood was flowing per unit volume of muscle. Individual capillary lengths, diameters, and red blood cell velocities were also quantified. During resting conditions, the capillary density (length per unit volume of muscle) and surface area are increased significantly in dystrophic muscle compared to normal muscle. Under fully vasodilated conditions, the capillary density and surface area are similar in normal and dystrophic muscle. Individual capillary lengths, diameters, and red blood cell velocities are also similar in normal and dystrophic muscle under resting conditions. These results indicate that, contrary to the vascular hypothesis, dystrophic muscle at rest has increased capillary density, surface area, and blood flow. It is postulated that the increased capillary density in dystrophic muscle at rest is secondary to muscle fiber breakdown.