Change in endothelial cell morphology at arterial branch sites caused by a reduction of intramural stress

Arterial branch sites have very high intramural stresses at physiologic intraluminal pressures; the same sites have a predilection for atherosclerosis. The effect of intramural stress on endothelial cell morphology was investigated. Five rabbits had permanent casts placed around a segment of the abdominal aorta-left renal artery branch area during controlled hypotension, thus reducing intramural stress without narrowing the lumen. These five animals, and three normal rabbits, were sacrificed after 4–8 weeks, and the vessels were perfused with buffered 2.5% glutaraldehyde for 2 h at 100 mm Hg pressure. The aortas were examined by scanning electron microscopy. In normal aortas, the distal region of the ostia of the left renal and celiac arteries just beyond the flow divider displayed many morphologically altered endothelial cells ranging from spindle shape to cobble-stone shape. The same aortic area of casted rabbits, as well as the straight abdominal aorta in all rabbits, showed a smooth surface of endothelial cells with intact cell borders and no morphologically altered cells. At branch sites, the occurrence of morphologically altered endothelial cells may be due to increased intramural stress. When intramural stress is reduced, the morphology of branch endothelial cells changes to resemble that of the unbranched regions. In conclusion, endothelial cell morphology changes in response to changes in intramural stress.