Key result
Electron microscopy reveals the rabbit aortic endothelial surface features hair-like projections up to 3 µm long.
Population
Rabbit ascending aorta and arcus aortae
Design
Preclinical
Authors
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No immediate clinical implications from rabbit data; leaves open whether analogous endothelial projections exist in humans or influence vascular function.
The discovery of hair-like projections on the endothelial surface of rabbit aortas suggests a fundamental revision in the understanding of blood vessel endothelial structure.
Tokunaga et al. (1973) studied Normal vascular anatomy. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy was evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy of the rabbit aorta revealed that the endothelial surface possesses numerous hair-like projections up to 3 µm long, challenging the belief that the surface is smooth.
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