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Plasticity of Intercellular Junctions of Rat Liver Lymph Capillaries in Relation to Functional Conditions

Istituto di Anatomia Umana Normale, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

Giovanni Sacchi

Istituto di Anatomia Umana Normale, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

Leonetto Comparini

Istituto di Anatomia Umana Normale, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

The junctions between endothelial cells in lymph capillaries may have differ ent degrees of complexity and have been classified as three types: "end to end" (EE), "overlapping" (OVL), and "interdigitating" (ID). Under normal condi tions, the more complex junction types (ID and OVL) are more frequent than the simple type (EE). The authors' hypothesis was that not only the folds and digitations of the endothelial profile but also the prevalence of the more com plex junction types under normal conditions impart plasticity and distensibility to the endothelial wall. To verify this hypothesis they performed a transmission electron microscope study of lymph capillaries of rat liver under normal condi tions and after treatment with histamine, which induces natural filling of lymph vessels. In lymph capillaries of histamine-treated animals they found a signifi cant prevalence of the simplest (EE) junctions (50±5% versus 20±4% in con trols, p < 0.001) over the more complex OVL (28 ± 4% versus 57 ± 4% in controls, p < 0.001) and ID junctions (12± 3% versus 19± 4% in controls, NS). The over all trend in junction types showed a highly significant shift toward the simpler types after histamine treatment (p < .0001). There was also a significant reduc tion in the mean length of adjoining cell borders from 1.5 ± 0.1 m in histamine- treated animals (p < 0.001). These findings indicate the participation of the junc tions in variations in capacity of lymph vessels in rat liver. This mobilization of cell junctions may also favor the drainage of interstitial fluids into the ab sorbing lymph vessels.

Angiology, Vol. 42, No. 11, 929-934 (1991)
DOI: 10.1177/000331979104201109


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