Summary
The ultrastructure of the vessels in the normal respiratory and olfactory mucosa of the nasal septum was studied in 15 adult rabbits. Capillaries with continuous and fenestrated endothelia could be observed in both tissues. In the respiratory part, many of the fenestrated capillaries were located subepithelially with their fenestrations facing the adjacent epithelium. Fenestrated capillaries of the olfactory mucosa were found mainly in the deeper parts of the tunica propria and usually revealed only a small number of fenestrations in their endothelial lining. It was also demonstrated that muscularized veins sometimes displayed fenestrated areas in their attenuated endothelia. These results are discussed and compared with the appropriate literature. Our results confirm that there is a link between the morphological peculiarities of the vascular wall and the functional behaviour of the nasal mucosa. These findings also emphasize that endothelial fenestrations seem to be characteristic for a certain segment of the microcirculatory system rather than for a distinct type of capillary vessel.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bende M, Flisberg K, Larsson J, Ohlin P, Olsson P (1983) A method for determination of blood flow with 133Xe in human nasal mucosa. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 96:277–285
Casley-Smith JR (1971) “Endothelial fenestrae in intestinal villi”: differences between the arterial and venous ends of the capillaries. Microvasc Res 3:49–68
Cauna N, Hinderer KH (1969) Fine structure of blood vessels of the human nasal respiratory mucosa. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 78:865–879
Grevers G, Herrmann U (1986) Die Gefäße der respiratorischen und olfaktorischen Schleimhaut des Kaninchens. Laryngol Rhinol Otol 65:575–580
Grevers G, Hammersen F, Herrmann U (1987) Unusual locations of endothelial fenestrae. Int J Microcirc Clin Exp (in press)
Hammersen F (1971) Anatomie der terminalen Strombahn. Muster —Feinbau —Funktion. Urban und Schwarzenberg, München Berlin Wien
Hammersen F (1977) Bau und Funktion der Blutkapillaren. In: Meesen H (Hrsg) Handbuch der allgemeinen Pathologie III/7. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 135–230
Horstmann E (1966) Über das Endothel der Zotten-Kapillaren im Dünndarm des Meerschweinchens und des Menschen. Z Zellforsch 72:364–369
Jafek BW (1983) Ultrastructure of human nasal mucosa. Laryngoscope 93:1576–1599
Kanan MW (1976) The biological behaviour of the nasal mucosa towards blood borne particulate matter. Ph D thesis, Oxford University
Majno G (1965) Ultrastructure of the vascular membrane. In: Hamilton WF, Dow P (eds) Handbook of physiology, section II, vol 3. American Physiology Society, Washington DC
Simionescu N, Simionescu M, Palade GE (1972) Permeability of intestinal capillaries. Pathway followed by dextrans and glycogens. J Cell Biol 53:365–392
Watanabe K, Watanabe J, Saito Y, Mizuhira V (1980) Characteristics of capillary permeability in nasal mucosa. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 89:377–382
Van Diest P, Kanan MW (1979) An ultrastructural study of the endonasal microcirculation in the Wistar rat during fetal and early postnatal life. J Anat 128:293–300
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Grevers, G., Herrmann, U. Fenestrated endothelia in vessels of the nasal mucosa. Arch Otorhinolaryngol 244, 55–60 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00453492
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00453492