Abstract

Remodeling and dilatation of the saphenous vein wall is a feature in the development of varicose vein disease. Because of the existence of high similarities between varicose vein disease and the normal vascular remodeling of veins of the lower extremity during pregnancy we tested the hypothesis that vascular smooth muscle cells of the saphenous vein from rabbits after multiple gestation changed their shape and size. We have measured the volume densities of smooth muscle cells of the saphenous vein wall of both multiparous and nulliparous rabbits by point counting. The number of cells per unit volume were counted and the cross diameters of the vascular smooth muscle cells were estimated by measuring their diameters perpendicular to the long axis of their nuclei. It appeared that the vascular smooth muscle cells of the saphenous vein from multiparous rabbits had an increased cellular volume and an enlarged cellular diameter. However, the length of the vascular smooth muscle cells of the saphenous vein from multiparous rabbits showed a decrease compared to the vascular smooth muscle cells of the saphenous vein from nulliparous rabbits. This suggests that after multiple gestations the vascular smooth muscle cells of the saphenous vein remain a change in shape and size. This remodeling of the vessel wall could therefore destroy cell-cell and cell-matrix attachments resulting in a modified compliance of the vein wall as also observed in varicose vein disease.

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