Heterogeneous Density and Ultrastructure of rabbit's Peritoneal Microvasculature

Abstract

In this study, samples of mesenteric diaphragmatic peritoneum and peritoneum covering the inner side of the ventral abdominal wall of apparently normal rabbits were examined under electron microscopy. Mesentery appeared as the most vascularized peritoneal segment (71.1% of the total number of observed capillaries). Diaphragmatic and parietal peritoneum contributions to the total examined microvascular bed were of 17.9% and 10.9% respectively. Only 3.2% of peritoneal diaphragmatic capillaries were of the fenestrated type. This qualitative and quantitative heterogeneity of the peritoneal microcirculation combined with the different contribution of each peritoneal segment to the total peritoneal surface area, the different mesothelial cell density of visceral and parietal peritoneum, and the different permeability of parietal visceral peritoneum suggest that, in vivo, whole organ permeability studies would eventually show just an average of an unknown distribution of segmental peritoneal permeabilities.