2022, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (26): 4123-4126

Effect of aging on the ultrastructure of common iliac artery in rats

Dong Liping1, 2, Luo Jia1, Li Guangyi1, Yuan Heng1   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Aging is accompanied by a progressive decline in the structure and function of multiple organs. The structure and function of arterial vessels are impaired during the aging process.  
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of aging on the ultrastructure of arterial wall.
METHODS: Five adult Sprague-Dawley rats and five aged Sprague-Dawley rats were selected. The common iliac artery of the rats was taken under anesthesia and fixed in glutaraldehyde, and the ultrasonography of the intima and media of the common iliac artery was observed using a transmission electron microscope.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The connection between endothelial cells of the common iliac artery in adult rats was normal, while there was a relatively large gap between endothelial cells of the common iliac artery in aged rats. Smooth muscle cells of the common iliac artery in adult rats exhibited a contractile phenotype, and there were many elastic fibers in the extracellular matrix; in aged rats, smooth muscle cells presented with a synthetic phenotype, and the number of collagen fibers in the common iliac artery was significantly increased. Dead endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, characterized by chromatin degradation and cell lysis, were observed in the common iliac artery of aged rats, whilst   no cell death was observed in adult rats. These findings indicate that the intima of the common iliac artery is thickened, smooth muscle cells present with a synthetic phenotype, the number of elastic fibers is reduced and the number of collagen fibers is increased in aged rats compared with adult rats.
Key words: aged rat, common iliac artery, intima, endothelial cell, extracellular matrix, media, smooth muscle cell, ultrastructure