AGE-RELATED ALTERATIONS IN THE MORPHOLOGY OF FEMORAL-ARTERY VASA VASORUM IN THE RAT

The objective of this study was to explore any age-related morphologic al changes in the vasa vasorum of the rat femoral artery. Vascular cor rosion casts were prepared from 2, 12 and 24-month-old rats. Examinati on of the casts with the scanning electron microscope revealed dramati c differences in the appearance of the vessels of young and aged rats. The vasa vasorum of 2-month-old rats consisted of a dense network of capillaries. These vessels were dramatically reduced in number by 12 m onths, and even fewer capillaries were present at 24 months. This redu ction in capillary density is consistent with the observed age-related decreases in oxygen tension and may explain why the aged are more pro ne to atherosclerosis.