Effects of Prostaglandin E1 in the Genesis of Blood Capillaries in the Ischemic Skeletal Muscle of Rats: Ultrastructural Analysis

Our aim was to study the ultrastructural aspects in the genesis of blood capillaries in the lower limb skeletal muscle of rats submitted to ischemia under the action of intramuscular or endovenous prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). Twelve Wistar-UEM rats were used, randomly distributed into three groups of four animals each, equally redistributed into two subgroups, observed at 7 and 14 days as follows: group only with ischemia was considered as control (I), group with ischemia and intramuscular injection of PGE1 (IM), and group with ischemia and endovenous injection of PGE1 (EV). Results were analyzed by transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). TEM analysis revealed evidence of new capillary formation. TEM permitted us to identify morphological structures and phenomena in vascular neoformation that might have occurred through angiogenesis and/or vasculogenesis.