Effect of Cold Stress on Myocardium of Aging Rat

Cold Stress가 노화(老化) 흰쥐 심근(心筋)에 미치는 영향(影響)

The present study was performed to determine the effect of cold stress on myocardium of aging rat. Control groups, which aged 6, 12 and 24 months, were compared with age-matched experimental groups that were exposed to moderate cold stress for a hours daily in a week at laboratory cold room $(4{\pm}1^{\circ}C)$. The histological, histochemical and ultrastructural changes of myocardium were observed. The results were summarized as follow: 1. Age-dependent histological change of control groups was observed the formation of contraction band in 24months aged group. The experimental groups submitted to cold stress showed a similar change pattern as seen in control groups. However, the degree of change in the experimental groups was significantly larger than that of control groups. In the 34 months aged group the formation of hypercontraction band was observed. 2. Regarding age-dependent histochemical changes of control groups, we observed the increase activities of PAS and Masson's trichrome. In experimental groups the activities of PAS and Masson's trichrome were also increased with age. Compare with control group, the activities of PAS was increased but the activities of Masson's trichrome was decreased. 3. Age-dependent ultrastructural changes on vacuolization, lysosome were observed. In control groups the structural changes occur at 12 months. The accumulation of lipofuscin, contraction band, hypercontraction band and a component of connective tissue were observed in 24 months. However, the degree of change in the experimental groups was significantly larger than that of control groups. In contract, the myelin body in intercalated discs was observed in 24 months of experimental groups.