DISTRIBUTION AND ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE INITIAL LYMPHATICS OF SOME SKELETAL MUSCLES IN THE RAT

J Stingl, O Stembera

Abstract


The distribution and ultrastructure of initial lymphatics capillaries  were studied  in  m. spinotrapezius,

m. gastrocnemius, and  m. soleus of  the  rat.  It  was found out  that  the  initial  lymphatic  network  starts  in the form of blind capillary process s  in  the area  of  stems of  terminal venules. The lymphatic ca­ pillaries converge from these areas into larger perimysial spaces, where they fuse into a larger lymphatic capillary  having  30-60 µm  in diameter. This capillary  runs along  together  with  the blood  vessels into  the  muscular hilus, where it divides into  2-3  branches, also of  capillary character.

The ultrastructure of all followed parts of the lymphatic network was quite congruent with the general description of the structure of the lymphatic capillaries. Multiple mast cells were detected in the close neighbourhood of the terminal venules and lymphatic capillaries, and so their possible influence on the dynamics of  the  contacts  of  endothelial  cells of  the  lymphatic  capillaries  is discussed  in  connection with  the regulation  of  the  lymph  production  in the skeletal  muscle.


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