Dynamics of postnatal changes in the contractile apparatus of rat cardiomyocytes after intrauterine exposure to acute hypoxia

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26641/1997-9665.2025.3.98-105

Keywords:

acute prenatal hypoxia, rats, ontogenesis, heart, cardiomyocytes, contractile apparatus, electron microscopy.

Abstract

Relevance. There is a wide range of publications that analyze various aspects of the influence of prenatal hypoxia on ontogenetic transformations of the myocardium, however, the topological features of changes in the contractile apparatus of a cardiomyocyte that is formed and develops under conditions of acute prenatal hypoxia require detailed study. The aim of the study was to determine postnatal reorganizations of the contractile apparatus of typical cardiomyocytes in different locations of the rat myocardium after exposure to acute prenatal hypoxia. Methods. The hearts of offspring of white nonlinear rats were studied, which were divided into two groups. The first group included the offspring of female rats exposed to acute hypoxia by administering sodium nitrite at a dose of 90 mg/kg to pregnant females on the 13th day of gestation. The second group (control) consisted of the offspring of mother rats, which were administered 1 ml of physiological sodium chloride solution on the 13th day of pregnancy. The myocardium of embryos was studied using transmission electron microscopy. Statistical processing of the obtained results was carried out in the licensed software package "Statistica v6.1" using parametric and non-parametric methods. Results and conclusion. After the birth of rats exposed to acute hypoxia on the 13th day of embryogenesis, in all zones of the myocardium of the right ventricle and the right part of the interventricular septum, sarcomerogenesis in cardiomyocytes is blocked, as well as the destruction of myofibrils, intercalary discs and mitochondria during two weeks of postnatal development. In the left ventricle during this period, destructive changes in the contractile apparatus are not detected, however, in typical cardiomyocytes, the degree of maturity of sarcomeres, the density of myofibril packing and the degree of their orientation are significantly inferior to the control level. Starting from the 30th day after birth, there are no signs of myofibril fragmentation in both ventricles, however, in the right ventricle and the right part of the interventricular septum, a significant inhibition of myofibrillogenesis is observed, which is preserved in the myocardium of mature offspring. In all zones of the left ventricle during this period there is an intensive accumulation of myofibrils, restoration of their structure and spatial organization to the normal level. In the atrial myocardium, moderate damage to intercalated discs and mitochondria, inhibition of sarcomerogenesis and restriction of spatial ordering of myofibrils due to prenatal action of acute hypoxia persist until the 14th day of postnatal development. In mature offspring, typical cardiomyocytes of the right atrium and right auricle contain immature myofibrils of variable structure.

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Published

2025-10-30

How to Cite

Kobeza, P., Haczkiewicz-Leśniak , K., & Tverdokhlib , I. (2025). Dynamics of postnatal changes in the contractile apparatus of rat cardiomyocytes after intrauterine exposure to acute hypoxia. Морфологія / Morphologia / Morfologìâ, 19(3), 98–105. https://doi.org/10.26641/1997-9665.2025.3.98-105

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Vol. 19 No. 3 (2025)

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