Nemetschek-Gansler H, Weiss H, Wenisch H J, Noetzel B, Pretzsch U
Atherosclerosis. 1979 Oct;34(2):167-91. doi: 10.1016/0021-9150(79)90138-2.
In infants, human femoral arteries display seam-like internal elastic lamina (IEL) covered with endothelium on the luminal side and with smooth muscle cells (SMC) on the medial side. At birth the growth of IEL is finished, correlated with a loss of microfibrils (MF) at the periphery. With the onset of the postnatal vessel growth the joints of IEL seem to be mechanically widened until they have the appearance of gaps with progressing age. After the age of 40 years there are often rod-like crystallites in the IEL, probably composed of cholesterol esters. A small first consecutive lamina (CL) can be seen already in childhood; it enlarges until the 3rd decade of life and is interpreted as a substitute to the "fragmented" IEL. After the 5th decade of life the first CL is arranged within the intima at a certain distance from the IEL and consisting of loosely arranged elastic fibrils. In very old arteries (beyond the 8th decade of life) gaps are rarely seen in the first CL. In individuals over the age of 30 years, the space between IEL and the first CL is occupied by smooth muscle cells (SMC) which are tightly packed. Additional CLs above the first CL can be found in elderly individuals, there CL obviously contribute to the intimal thickening. The ultrastructure of the elastic elements of the vessel wall and their possible function are discussed.
在婴儿中，人类股动脉显示出缝状的内弹性膜（IEL），其管腔侧覆盖有内皮，内侧覆盖有平滑肌细胞（SMC）。出生时，IEL的生长完成，这与外周微原纤维（MF）的丧失相关。随着出生后血管的生长开始，IEL的连接处似乎在机械上变宽，直到随着年龄的增长它们呈现出间隙的外观。40岁以后，IEL中经常出现棒状微晶，可能由胆固醇酯组成。在儿童时期就已经可以看到一个小的连续的第一层（CL）；它会一直增大到生命的第三个十年，并被解释为对“破碎”的IEL的替代。在生命的第五个十年之后，第一个CL排列在内膜中，与IEL有一定距离，并且由松散排列的弹性纤维组成。在非常老的动脉（超过生命的第八个十年）中，在第一个CL中很少看到间隙。在30岁以上的个体中，IEL和第一个CL之间的空间被紧密排列的平滑肌细胞（SMC）占据。在老年人中可以发现第一个CL上方还有额外的CL，这些CL显然导致了内膜增厚。本文讨论了血管壁弹性成分的超微结构及其可能的功能。
