Lymphatic vessels of the mammalian heart.

An in situ heart lung preparation was developed to label lymphatics of the actively beating dog heart with subsequent fixation by vascular perfusion. Immediately after interstitial injections of trypan blue and colloidal carbon, a rich plexus of lymphatic vessels was visualized in the epicardium of the actively beating heart. With this method of fixation, tissue preservation is generally excellent and uniform throughout the heart. In thin sections examined with the electron microscope, lymphatic vessels are easily recognized by the content of plasma proteins which is preserved as an electron dense precipitate that is evenly dispersed throughout the lumen. An extensive plexus of thin walled lymphatic vessels is observed throughout the epicardial, myocardial and subendocardial regions. Numerous anchoring filaments are observed closely apposed to the abluminal endothelial surface which extend into the surrounding connective tissue. The distribution and ultrastructure of the cardiac lymphatic vessels are discussed in relation to their role in the removal of interstitial fluid from the heart.