Intimal cells and atherosclerosis. Relationship between the number of intimal cells and major manifestations of atherosclerosis in the human aorta.

The subendothelial intima of human aorta is populated by cells of various shapes. Round and ovoid cells which are lymphocyte- and monocyte-like hematogenous cells account for less than 5% of the cell population. The bulk of the intimal population (over 95%) is made up of cells that can be described as elongated, stellate, elongated with side processes, and irregularly shaped.

[Morphogenesis of mitral valve calcification in rheumatism and the significance of the petrifications in surgical practice].

Eighty-five calcified mitral valves were examined histologically and histochemically and 28 valves were examined in the scanning electron microscope. Different forms of calcification were discovered in rheumatic sclerosis of the mitral valve: dust-like, laminar petrifact, large-tuberous petrifact with protein apoplexy. The cardiac valve calcification in rheumatic fever is preceeded by local dystrophic changes of collagen fibers which undergo swelling, homogenization, and become picrinophilic.

[Ultrastructural and histochemical criteria of myocardial hypoxia and a morphological assessment of the various methods for its protection (based on biopsy data of the human heart)].

Short-term ischemia (up to 10 minutes) induced by clamping of the aorta in correction of a ventricular septal defect causes no essential ultrastructural, metabolic or functional changes in the myocardium. In much longer period of ischemia (of up to 40 minutes) during operation for congenital heart diseases, the use of deep hypothermia is effective. Cold cardioplegia is a sufficiently reliable method for myocardial protection when the aorta is clamped for up to 60 minutes in operations for acquired heart diseases.