On the atrophy of the internal carotid artery in capybara

Capybara might be a useful model for studying changes in cerebral circulation as the natural atrophy of the internal carotid artery (ICA) occurs in this animal at maturation. In this study, confocal and electron microscopy combined with immunohistochemical techniques were applied in order to reveal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cell and tissue research 2006-12, Vol.326 (3), p.737-748
Main Authors: Steele, Caroline, Fioretto, Emerson T, Sasahara, Tais H C, Guidi, Wanderley L, de Lima, Ana R, Ribeiro, Antonio A C M, Loesch, Andrzej
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging - physiology
Animals
Apoptosis
Atrophy
Basilar Artery - anatomy & histology
Basilar Artery - metabolism
Biomarkers - metabolism
Brain
Carotid Artery, Internal - innervation
Carotid Artery, Internal - metabolism
Carotid Artery, Internal - pathology
Carotid Artery, Internal - ultrastructure
Female
Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
Gangrene
Immunohistochemistry
Mammals
Medical imaging
Microscopy, Confocal
Models, Biological
Rodentia - anatomy & histology
Synaptophysin - metabolism
Synaptophysin - ultrastructure
Veins & arteries
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Summary:Capybara might be a useful model for studying changes in cerebral circulation as the natural atrophy of the internal carotid artery (ICA) occurs in this animal at maturation. In this study, confocal and electron microscopy combined with immunohistochemical techniques were applied in order to reveal the changes in morphology and innervation to the proximal part of ICA in young (6-month-old) and mature (12-month-old) capybaras. Some features of the basilar artery (BA) were also revealed. The ICA of young animals degenerated to a ligamentous cord in mature animals. Immunolabelling positive for pan-neuronal marker protein gene product 9.5 but negative for tyrosine hydroxylase was observed in the proximal part of ICA at both ages examined. Axon varicosities positive for synaptophysin were present in the adventitia of ICA of young animals but were absent in the ligamentous cord of mature animals. In the ICA of young animals, adventitial connective tissue invaded the media suggesting that the process of regression of this artery began within the first 6 months of life. An increase in size of the BA was found in mature animals indicating increased blood flow in the vertebro-basilar system, possibly making capybara susceptible to cerebrovascular pathology (e.g. stroke). Capybara may therefore provide a natural model for studying adaptive responses to ICA regression/occlusion.
ISSN:0302-766X
1432-0878
DOI:10.1007/s00441-006-0218-0