Growth-related micromorphological characteristics of the porcine femoral artery

Issue title: Selected papers of the 38th Conference of the German Society for Clinical Microcirculation and Hemorheology, 21-23 November 2019, Braunschweig, Germany

Guest editors: P. Wiggermann, A. Krüger-Genge and F. Jung

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Nies, A.^a | Proft, L.^b | Nehring, M.E.^a | Gruber, C.^a | Sievers, H.^a | Hünigen, H.^b | Rodrigues, A.G.^a | Gemeinhardt, O.^c | Mrowietz, C.^a | Jung, F.^d | Hiebl, B.^{a; *}

Affiliations: [a] Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hanover, Germany | [b] Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Veterinary Anatomy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany | [c] Department of Radiology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany | [d] Institute of Biotechnology, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus – Senftenberg, Cottbus, Germany

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Hiebl, Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 30173 Hanover, Germany. Tel.: +49 511 856 8958; Fax: +49 511 856 8998; E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: BACKGROUND:In cardiovascular research small pigs breeds like Göttingen® minipigs (GM) are established animal models, but systematic data about the micromorphology of the GM vasculature at different ages are scarce. OBJECTIVE:The study was aimed at gaining knowledge about the micromorphology of the femoral artery (FA) from German Landrace pigs (DL) and GM during the period of growth over a body weight range of 10–40 kg. METHODS:FA samples from DL aged two or three months were compared to GM ones, aged 18 or 40 months using transmitted light microscopy. RESULTS:All FA samples showed typical characteristics of muscular arteries. Growth was associated with increased vessel wall thickness. In the GM this resulted in a slight decrease of the luminal diameter (LD), while in the DL pigs, an increase of the LD and smooth muscle cell content (10%) with decreased elastic fiber content (10%) has been detected. In contrast, within the 22 months lasting growth period of the GM, the tunica media content of smooth muscle cells and elastic fibers remained stable. CONCLUSIONS:FA maturation strongly depends on the pig breed and age. It can be different from what is described in humans.

Keywords: Maturation, micromorphology, muscular artery type, porcine femoral artery, tunica media

DOI: 10.3233/CH-199219

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 73, no. 1, pp. 195-201, 2019