Scanning electron microscopic study of capillary change in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

The architectural changes which occur in the capillaries are difficult to illustrate without a three-dimensional tool, such as scanning electron microscopy. Therefore, a scanning electron microscopic study was occasionally undertaken to show the capillary changes of lung fibrosis. Fibrosis was induced in twenty rats by an intratracheal injection of bleomycin. After 30 days the rats were sacrificed, and light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were performed. The vascular trees of both lungs were cast with methacrylate. Light microscopically, the pulmonary fibrosis was patchy and inflammatory cell infiltration was rather sparse. Scanning electron microscopically, the intercapillary spaces became wider; and some capillaries revealed large irregular dilatation. The pleural and alveolar capillaries were variably dilated. The pleural capillary diameter was increased (P = 0.06), and the capillary plexus diameter was decreased (P = 0.00). Distance between the capillary branches of the pleural surface was increased (P = 0.06). The appearance of irregularly shaped capillaries, an increase in diameter with variable dilatation of alveolar capillary rings and a decrease in branching between the capillaries, resulting in a loss of surface area are the main scanning electron microscopic findings of the remodeling which occurs pulmonary capillaries in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.