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MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE VASCULATURE OF THE OVARIES OF THE SOW AS INFLUENCED BY AGE FROM BIRTH TO 8 YEARS

Summary.: Significant changes take place in the vasculature of the ovaries at different age periods in the sow: at birth, arteries, veins and lymphatics were seen in the medullary region of the ovaries. Rapid growth of the tunica media of arteries took place between 1 and 2 months of age. By 6 months of age, the tunica intima, media, and adventitia were clearly differentiated. By 6 months to 3 years, the medullary vessels exhibited splitting of the internal elastic lamina and the start of intimal thickening. By 3 to 8 years, the arteries of the ovarian tissue presented intimal thickening which appeared in two noticeable forms and progressed with advancing age in a number of vessels.

In medium-sized vessels, it was of a uniform nature affecting the whole tunica intima. At approximately 5 years of age, the intimal thickness equalled almost half of the cross-sectional thickness of the arterial wall of the affected vessels.

In the 8-year age group, the tunica intima approximated to two-thirds of the width of cross-section of the entire arterial wall of the affected arteries.

In the larger vessels of the medulla, the intimal thickening was not uniform, appearing in the form of plaques in some areas of the arterial walls and diffuse in others.

Collagenous tissue also increased in the walls of the arteries with advancing age but no lipid or calcium deposition was observed.