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Filament bundles and contractility of endothelial cells in coronary arteries

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Summary

Thin (45–90 Å) and thick (100–120 Å) filaments were identified with the electron microscope as a prominent feature in endothelial cells of coronary arteries of vertebrates, including rat, mouse, guinea-pig, human embryo, finch, lizard and toad. Many bundles of thin filaments occur just beneath the cell membrane; others run from the cell base to the luminal surface. They usually show regularly repeating dense areas with a periodicity of about 6000 Å. One end of the thin filament bundles appears to be inserted on the basal cell membrane, and at these sites, microfibrils are also inserted from outside of the cell. A spacial relationship was also observed between the bundles of thin filaments and the elastic material. Some bundles in two adjoining cells are „paired“, and run along the cell boundary side-by-side with two apposing cell membranes in-between. Bundles of thick filaments are more prominent in animals of larger size, and show no apparent relationship with other cytoplasmic components. The possibility that the bundles of thin filaments are contractile is discussed.

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This work was supported by grants from the National Heart Foundation of Australia, the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Research Grants Committee. We thank Dr. Neil Merrillees for his criticism of the manuscript.

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Yohro, T., Burnstock, G. Filament bundles and contractility of endothelial cells in coronary arteries. Z.Zellforsch 138, 85–95 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307080

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307080

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