What is a Myointimal cell?
Myointimal cells are situated between the internal elastic lamina and endothelial cells. They often have myofilaments and other characteristics of smooth muscle; but they are not normally in contact with circulating blood (Fig. 3).
What is Myointimal thickening?
Intimal hyperplasia refers to a process in which the intima becomes thickened due to the presence of vascular smooth muscle cells and proteoglycan-rich extracellular matrix located between the endothelium and the internal elastic lamina (Figure 11.3).
What is Myointimal hyperplasia?
Idiopathic myointimal hyperplasia of the mesenteric veins (IMHMV) is a rare disease characterized by intimal smooth muscle proliferation, leading to the thickening of small to medium-sized mesenteric veins.
Why is the tunica intima made of epithelial cells?
The innermost layer of the vein is the tunica intima. This layer consists of flat epithelial cells. These cells allow fluid to flow smoothly and are interspersed with valves that ensure the flow continues in one direction. This continuous layer of epithelial cells holds cells and fluid within the vessel lumen.
What causes Myointimal hyperplasia?
Focal myointimal hyperplasia has been shown to occur more often in bowel patients who have undergone trauma prior to resection such as previous surgery, incarceration, or intussusception.
What is Myointimal hyperplasia of mesenteric veins?
What happens if the tunica intima is damaged?
Damage to the tunica intima of the cranial mesenteric artery and/or the aorta leads to damage which may either result in narrowing of the arterial lumen or to a localized (but often severe and extensive) arteritis surrounding variable numbers of larvae.
What is the purpose of the tunica intima?
How serious is atherosclerosis of the aorta?
It’s not only your heart at risk. You’re also at risk for stroke and other health problems. Atherosclerosis usually doesn’t cause symptoms until you’re middle-age or older. As the narrowing becomes severe, it can choke off blood flow and cause pain.
What causes idiopathic Myointimal hyperplasia of the mesenteric veins?
Abu-Alfa and associates initially hypothesized that IMHMV is caused by acquired segmental arteriovenous fistulization secondary to trauma because mesenteric veins in patients with this disease closely resemble arterialized vessels from saphenous vein bypass grafts or dialysis fistulae.