A histochemical study of the microvasculature in the left and right cardiac ventricles of the dog.

Subepicardial and subendocardial arteries and arterioles in both the left and right normal canine ventricle were examined histochemically to determine their metabolic profiles. Aerobic metabolic capacity was assessed by determining the reactivities of the enzymes cytochrome oxidase, succinate dehydrogenase and NAD-isocitrate dehydrogenase. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was examined to assess activity of the hexose-monophosphate-shunt. The substrate glycogen was determined as an evaluation of anaerobic metabolic capacity, while the amounts of deoxyribonucleic and ribonucleic acid were assessed as an indication of protein synthesis. Results of the present investigation indicate that despite known hemodynamic differences, the metabolic profile of the coronary vasculature is similar in all regions of ventricular myocardium. Reactivities of the enzymes succinate and NAD-isocitrate dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase are greater in smooth muscle of arterioles than in arteries. This suggests that arteriolar smooth muscle has a higher capacity for aerobic metabolism than does arterial smooth muscle. The greater reactivity of glycogen in arterial, than in arteriolar smooth muscle, suggests that arterial muscle is more adapted for anaerobic metabolism. Deoxyribonucleic and ribonucleic acids demonstrate a low reactivity in both arteries and arterioles from all regions of ventricular myocardium which conforms to the opinion that under normal conditions, coronary vasculature is quite stable with little cell proliferation. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase shows little reactivity in all myocardial vessels with implies a low capacity for nucleic acid and protein synthesis.