The adaptation of the structural components in the myocardium of the left ventricle to strenuous exercise was studied morphometrically in rats following a treadmill running program. The response of the left ventricle was evaluated separately in the interventricular septum and in the left ventricular free wall. Exercise produced a 24% growth of the septum without altering free wall volume. The hypertrophic expansion of the septum was characterized by a decrease in the volume fraction of capillary lumen in the myocardium (-20%), a reduction in the capillary luminal surface per unit volume of myocytes (-17%) and by an increase in the maximum distance from the capillary wall to the mitochondria of myocytes (9%). Although none of these changes were demonstrable on a statistical basis in the left ventricular free wall, similar results were obtained in the whole left ventricle by combining the data from the septum and free wall. Since the septum constitutes a functional unit with the free wall, it was concluded that the effect of excessive physical activity on the capillary parameters responsible for oxygen availability and diffusion could lead to a local reduction in the oxygenation potential of ventricular myocardium.

Effects of strenuous exercise on the quantitative morphology of left ventricular myocardium in the rat

BEGHI, CESARE;
1985-01-01

Abstract

The adaptation of the structural components in the myocardium of the left ventricle to strenuous exercise was studied morphometrically in rats following a treadmill running program. The response of the left ventricle was evaluated separately in the interventricular septum and in the left ventricular free wall. Exercise produced a 24% growth of the septum without altering free wall volume. The hypertrophic expansion of the septum was characterized by a decrease in the volume fraction of capillary lumen in the myocardium (-20%), a reduction in the capillary luminal surface per unit volume of myocytes (-17%) and by an increase in the maximum distance from the capillary wall to the mitochondria of myocytes (9%). Although none of these changes were demonstrable on a statistical basis in the left ventricular free wall, similar results were obtained in the whole left ventricle by combining the data from the septum and free wall. Since the septum constitutes a functional unit with the free wall, it was concluded that the effect of excessive physical activity on the capillary parameters responsible for oxygen availability and diffusion could lead to a local reduction in the oxygenation potential of ventricular myocardium.
1985
Capillary parameters; Mitochondria; Morphometry; Myocytes; Myofibrils; Molecular Biology; Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Anversa, P; Beghi, Cesare; Levicky, V; Mcdonald, Sl; Kikkawa, Y; Olivetti, G.
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11383/2072472
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 28
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 31
social impact