[Relief of the endothelial surface of human arteries according to scanning electron microscope findings].

The work presents data on the relief of the endothelial surface of initial portions of the common carotid artery and the common iliac artery of adult man obtained by the method of scanning electron microscopy. In middle-aged humans this relief has all the characteristic features which were noted in studying the aorta. Considerable changes of the endothelial surface relief were shown in elderly and old people in connection with the development of atherosclerosis. Postmortem alterations can result in sharp distortion of the endothelial surface relief.