Current trends in heart hypertrophy

Abstract

Heart hypertrophy remains an important topic since research into its mechanism evokes similar questions to those related to heart insufficiency.A brief review of some of the important questions from a morphological point of view will be discussed.

Alterations of mitochondrial function as detected in left ventricular myocardium of rats with acute aortic constriction

“…In accordance with biochemical (Albln et al 1973; Rabinowitz et al 1972Rabinowitz et al , 1973 and autoradiographic (Anversa et al 1976) studies, multiplication of the mitochondria has been confirmed by morphometric analysis soon after stenosis (Anversa et al 1976;Goldstein et al 1974;Hart et al 1974). According to these techniques, the mitochondrial relative volume may increase by about 30% during 48 hours following stenosis.…”

“…It has been shown biochemically (A/b/n et al 1973; Mart/n et al 1974) and morphometrically (Anversa et al 1976;Goldstein et al 1974;Hart et al 1974) that mitochondrial relative volume increases significantly at this stage. It has been shown biochemically (A/b/n et al 1973; Mart/n et al 1974) and morphometrically (Anversa et al 1976;Goldstein et al 1974;Hart et al 1974) that mitochondrial relative volume increases significantly at this stage.…”

Cellular changes in mechanically overloaded heart

“…From few experimental and human material which took into consideration the degree of the load (8,13), the following conclusions may be drawn.…”

“…From the already published data in the literature (8) and from our personal results (7,8) the following points may be stressed.…”

Morphological Approach to the Mechanism of Heart Failure

“…Two to three hours after a tight constric tion of the thoracic aorta in the rabbit, whereby acute heart failure can be ascer tained by the elevation of the left ventricular diastolic pressure and by pulmonary edema, many myocytes seemed to have suffered: their volume increased as well as the sarco plasmic spaces, what seems to be the result of intracellular edema [Hatt et al, 1974]. Myofibrils were mainly to be altered with much myolysis, chiefly at the level of the fine filaments, the I bands, and Z lines.…”