Morphometry in Coronary Arteries of Beijupira (Rachycentron canadum) Fish with Tunics Hyperplasia

Abstract

Tunics hyperplasia of blood vessels can be quantified by a range of techniques that relate to modifications of area or thickness on histological sections. We studied hyperplasia of tunics of coronary arteries in a fish species, Rachycentron canadum for establishing the relationship between tunics and luminal obstruction by morphometry. The morphometric analysis was performed on 158 arterial vessels of 40 fish samples. The histological slides of cardiac and vascular tissue were stained using hematoxylin and eosin and observed under an optical microscope. The data relating to the proportion of the lumen area compared to the area of the tunic media were analyzed according to Beta regression models. The lumen proportion showed a decreasing relationship with weight and length of the analyzed animals. A linear relationship was not observed between lumen proportion and areas and/or radius of arterial tunics. It is concluded that the increase in weight gain contributes to a reduction of lumen area, leading to arterial obstruction without increasing or decreasing relationship between the proportion of vascular lumen and the thickness of arterial tunics. The set of abnormalities described are likely to be attributed to nutritional factors during the fish cultivation.