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Ultrastructure of carotid body in rats living at a simulated altitude of 4300 metres
Author(s) -
Laidler P.,
Kay J. M.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/path.1711240107
Subject(s) - citation , medicine , library science , computer science
We studied the ultrastructure of the carotid body of three normal rats and three rats living in a hypobaric chamber at a pressure of 460 mm Hg for 27, 28 and 35 days respectively. The type I cells of the carotid bodies of our hypoxic rats were enlarged due to an increase in the volume of their cytoplasm. Many of their dense core vesicles were vacuolated and the core was displaced eccentrically to become adherent to the limiting membrane of the vesicle. The concentration and distribution of dense core vesicles remained unaltered and there were no obvious changes in the mitochondria, ribosomes or Golgi apparatus. There was pronounced capillary dilatation in the carotid bodies of all three rats exposed to chronic hypoxia. This change was accompanied by attenuation of capillary endothelial cells and increased frequency of endothelial fenestrations. There were no structural changes in the type II cells.