CAN CAPILLARIES INCREASE IN LENGTH WITHOUT ANY INCREASE IN THE NUMBEROF ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS

Generally it is believed that one of the causes of vascular expansion is the increase in length of small capillaries, which in turn is attri buted to an increase in the number of endothelial cells. In this repor t we suggest a new hypothesis for a different mechanism for the increa sed length of smalt capillaries, which excludes an increase in the num ber of endothelial cells. This hypothesis is based upon the possibilit y of a longitudinal expansion of blood vessels, and has been explained and justified through a series of mathematical examples.