[Scanning electron microscopy of the cytoskeleton of the aortic endothelial cells of mature and aged rats].

The aortic endothelial cells' cytoskeleton was visualized using scanning electron microscopy of detergent-extracted cells. It is shown that the aortic endothelial cells' cytoskeleton undergoes structurization during aging. The cytoskeleton structurization is supposed to be an adaptive reaction which increases stability of intracellular contacts and cell adhesion with the underlying substrate.