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Rudimentary Coronary Artery in Syrian Hamsters ( Mesocricetus auratus )
Author(s) -
Durán A. C.,
Arqué J. M.,
Fernández B.,
Fernández M. C.,
FernándezGallego T.,
Rodríguez C.,
SansComa V.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
anatomia, histologia, embryologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.34
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1439-0264
pISSN - 0340-2096
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0264.2009.00935.x
Subject(s) - cardiology , medicine , coronary arteries , aortic sinus , left coronary artery , artery , right coronary artery , coronary sinus , aorta , aortic valve , myocardial infarction , coronary angiography
Summary Congenital underdevelopment of one or more main branches of the coronary arteries has been reported in man, but not in non‐human mammals. In man, this defective coronary artery arrangement may cause myocardial ischaemia and even sudden death . The main goal of this study was to describe the coronary artery distribution patterns associated with the presence of a markedly underdeveloped (rudimentary) coronary artery in Syrian hamsters. Moreover, an attempt was made to explain the morphogenesis of these patterns, according to current knowledge on coronary artery development. Eleven affected hamsters belonging to a laboratory inbred family were examined by means of internal casts of the heart, great arterial trunks and coronary arteries. The aortic valve was tricuspid (normal) in seven hamsters and bicuspid in the other four. A rudimentary coronary artery arose from the right side of the aortic valve in four specimens, from the left side of the aortic valve in a further three, and from the dorsal aortic sinus in the remaining four. In all cases, a second, well‐developed coronary artery provided for all the coronary blood flow. Except for the existence of a rudimentary coronary artery, the present anomalous coronary artery distribution patterns are similar to coronary artery patterns reported in Syrian hamsters, dogs and humans in association with a solitary coronary ostium in aorta. We suggest that an unusual prolonged time interval in the development of the embryonic coronary stems might be a key factor in the formation of coronary arteries displaying significantly dissimilar developmental degrees.