Morphometric study of endomyocardium and epimyocardium of the left ventricle in adult dogs.

Quantitative light- and electron-microscopic data are reported for the endomyocardium and epimyocardium of the left ventricle in adult dogs. The endomyocardium has a markedly lower capillary density, and larger myocyte cross-sectional area, than the epimyocardium. The sarcolemmal-surface/cell-volume ratio is significantly less in endocardial myocytes. No regional differences were found with regard to capillary diameter, interstitial space volume, or volume percent occupied by blood vessels and myocytes. Likewise, there are no differences in proportions of cardiac cell volume occupied by myofibrils (57%), mitochondria (25%), nuclei (1.5%), T tubes (1.2%), and sarcoplasmic reticulum (2.0%). The ratios of surface areas of T tubes and SR to their respective volumes and to cell volumes do not vary with transmural location. The regional differences and similarities are discussed in relation to general problems of blood flow in the heart and cardiac hypertrophy.