A comparative morphometric study of the myocardium during the postnatal development in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats.

BACKGROUND: Differences in the size of cardiac muscle cells observed in normal and hypertrophic hearts have been assessed through different methodologies. Spontaneously hypertensive rats are often used as an experimental model of essential hypertension in humans, which allows researchers to study the relation between hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy. It has been shown that ventricular hypertrophy in mammals progresses and ventricular failure develops in the end stage of hypertrophy. The aim of the present study was to analyse a number of morphometric markers and compare them between male normotensive Wistar rats (WR) and male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The total number of male WR was 15, distributed in five age groups, each containing three animals: 2-week-old; 1-month-old; 3-month--old; 6-month-old; 12-month-old. The male SHR were distributed in two age groups, each containing three animals: 1-month-old (young) and 6-month-old (adult). RESULTS: As aging progressed, both in male normotensive WR and in male SHR we noted a statistically significant increase in the morphometric parameters thickness of the free wall and the cross-sectional area of the cardiomyocytes and their nuclei and a decrease in the cardiomyocytic density in both ventricles. These changes were more pronounced and occurred at an earlier age in SHR. CONCLUSIONS: The present study analyses in detail the alterations in the myocardium of the left and right ventricle, initiated by age-related hypertrophy, as well as hy-pertrophy induced by arterial hypertension. (Folia Morphol 2018; 77, 2: 253-265).

Parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons in the human claustrum.

The morphology and distribution of parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons (PV-ir) were studied in the human claustrum. PV-ir neurons were observed throughout the claustrum, with the highest numbers noted in the central (broadest) portion as compared with the dorsal and ventral aspects. Reaction product was evident in the neuronal perikarya, dendritic processes, and spines. In the majority of these labeled neurons, the cytoplasm was devoid of lipofuscin pigment. Cell bodies varied widely in both shape and size, ranging from oval and small, to multipolar and large. PV-ir neurons were classified into two groups, primarily based on dendritic morphology: spiny neurons with long and straight dendrites, and aspiny neurons with thin and curving dendritic processes. PV-ir fibers were seen throughout the neuropil, with many immuno-positive puncta noted.