Coronary Collateral Microcirculation Reserve Becomes Vestigial with Aging.
INTRODUCTION
Our previous study indicated that coronary collateral microcirculation reserve (CCMR), native collaterals, transports blood flow to an ischemic area to reduce ischemic tissue injury. This study aimed to observe the changes of CCMR in the hearts of different month-old rats.


METHODS
We selected 2-, 8-, 16-, and 24-month-old rats as the research objects to monitor the changes of CCMR in rats with aging. After acute myocardial infarction, lectin-FITC was injected into the femoral vein vessels of rats to mark CCMR vessels in the ischemic area.


RESULTS
Results of the lectin-FITC perfusion experiment indicated that the number and collagen IV coverage of CCMR vessels declined with aging. Moreover, data suggested a correlation between endothelial nitric oxide synthase and a decline in the number of CCMR vessels.


CONCLUSION
Aging causes CCMR decline in rats.
['Chen|Jiali|J|', 'Liu|Xiucheng|X|', 'Qin|Xichun|X|', 'Liu|Zhiwei|Z|', 'Zhu|Lidong|L|', 'Quan|Xiaoyu|X|', 'Xu|Zhiwei|Z|', 'Dong|Hongyan|H|', 'Zhang|Zhongming|Z|']
D000375:Aging D000818:Animals D003097:Collateral Circulation D003331:Coronary Vessels D008833:Microcirculation D009203:Myocardial Infarction D051381:Rats
Coronary collateral microcirculation reserve Aging Native collaterals Acute myocardial infarction