Abstract
Vital-microscopic observations on the microcirculatory system in transparent chambers installed in the ear lobe of normal male rabbits fed ad libitum 1.5% cholesterol-supplemented diet and given two times a day tobacco smoke from 5mm length cigarette during 4 weeks, were as follows.
Adhesiveness of circulating leukocytes especially to venular walls was remarkably enhanced even in the first day of cholesterol feeding and the increased adhesiveness persisted throughout the experiment period: masses of adhering leukocytes sometimes looked like parietal microthrombi but no platelets appeared to participate in forming the thrombuslike structure. After about 1 week's cholesterol feeding, abnormal grouping of circulating erythrocytes and swelling of venular endothelia were developed concurrently with the increased adhesiveness of leukocytes: sludging or rouleau formation occurred even in flowing blood.
After about 2 weeks' cholesterol feeding, in addition to the changes in behaviors of intravascular cellular elements, interstitial tissues surrounding the vascular net became markedly proliferated in the shape of sponges or broccoliflowers: the contour of vasculatures was obscure due to the proliferation at the end of the experiment.
A transient increase in adhesiveness of intravenular leukocytes was induced by single inhalations of tobacco smoke either with or without filtration of total particulate matters. Inhalations of both kinds of tobacco smoke combined with cholesterol feeding appeared to accelerate the cholesterol-induced microcirculatory changes.
