Cornhill J F, Levesque M J, Nerem R M
Atherosclerosis. 1980 Jan;35(1):103-10. doi: 10.1016/0021-9150(80)90032-5.
Polar coordinate mapping was used to determine the rate of progression of spontaneous sudanophilic coeliac lesions on the aortic wall in White Carneau pigeons. Three age groups of 5 pigeons were studied (approximately 1, 4 approximately 4 and approximately 6.5 years). Serum cholesterol was found to decrease with age (r = 0.69, P less than 0.01). Lesion area was found to increase with both age (r = 0.86, P less than 0.01) and the age--serum cholesterol product (r = 0.92, P less than 0.01). Lesions developed initially in the proximal sector (270 degrees leads to 90 degrees) with two relative maxima (approximately 20 degrees and approximately 320 degrees). Lesions then grow proximally and radially. The immediately proximal inflow region (340 degrees leads to 360 degrees) was spared in all 3 age groups. Little sudanophilic material was observed on the distal flow divider (90 degrees leads to 270 degrees) even in the oldest birds. The mode of spontaneous coeliac sudanophilic lesion development in the White Carneau pigeon is in sharp contrast to that observed both in spontaneous lesions in human infants and in experimental lesions in the hypercholesterolemic rabbit where lesion development is in the distal sector (90 degrees leads to 270 degrees).
