Richardson M, Hatton M W, Moore S
Department of Pathology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Atherosclerosis. 1988 Jun;71(2-3):243-56. doi: 10.1016/0021-9150(88)90149-9.
Aortas from normal healthy rabbits, approx. 3 months old, were examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. The proteoglycan of the extracellular matrix, which was stained by ruthenium red and appeared as granules by transmission electron microscopy, was quantitated morphometrically in the intima and the superficial media. The intima included areas which were thickened and which contained connective tissue, including proteoglycan, and some smooth muscle cells. In the thickened intima there was a greater proportion of extracellular space which was occupied by proteoglycan, and the proteoglycan was present in higher concentration than in the media. In the aortas of rabbits, approx. 2 years old, the extent of intimal thickening and the concentration of proteoglycan increased in the thickened intima but there was no evidence of extracellular lipid deposition. The endothelial basement membrane contained small proteoglycan granules (heparan sulphate) which decreased in concentration in older animals. It is possible that the accumulation of proteoglycan in the thickened intima increases the susceptibility of the intima to accumulate lipid following an additional stimulus, such as hyperlipaemia, in the initial stages of atherosclerosis.
对约3月龄正常健康兔子的主动脉进行了光镜和透射电镜检查。用钌红染色的细胞外基质蛋白聚糖，在透射电镜下呈颗粒状，在内膜和浅表中膜进行形态计量学定量分析。内膜包括增厚区域，其中含有结缔组织，包括蛋白聚糖和一些平滑肌细胞。在增厚的内膜中，细胞外空间中被蛋白聚糖占据的比例更大，且蛋白聚糖的浓度高于中膜。在约2岁兔子的主动脉中，内膜增厚程度和增厚内膜中蛋白聚糖浓度增加，但没有细胞外脂质沉积的证据。内皮基底膜含有小的蛋白聚糖颗粒（硫酸乙酰肝素），其浓度在老年动物中降低。在动脉粥样硬化的初始阶段，增厚内膜中蛋白聚糖的积累可能会增加内膜在诸如高脂血症等额外刺激下积累脂质的易感性。
