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Cardiovascular Research 1999 44(1):185-196; doi:10.1016/S0008-6363(99)00186-8
© 1999 by European Society of Cardiology
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Copyright © 1999, European Society of Cardiology

Unique vascular morphology of the fourth aortic arches: possible implications for pathogenesis of type-B aortic arch interruption and anomalous right subclavian artery

Maarten Bergwerffa,*, Marco C. DeRuitera, Susan Hallb, Robert E. Poelmanna and Adriana C. Gittenberger-de Groota

aDepartment of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9602, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
bDepartment of Vascular Biology and Pharmacology, Institute of Child Health, University of London, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +31-71-527-6502/6660; fax: +31-71-527-6680 bergwerff{at}mail.medfac.leidenuniv.nl

Objective: Neural crest-derived cells were previously shown to participate in vessel wall formation of the great thoracic arteries, and their contribution was proposed to affect morphology and physiology of these vessels in the chick. The present investigation was undertaken to examine vascular differentiation and morphogenesis of the neural crest-derived aortic arches in mammals. Methods: Using immunohistochemical markers for smooth muscle cell differentiation and a neurofilament marker, we examined morphogenesis of the great arteries in mice, ranging from embryonic day 11.5 to the adult. Results: We observed that in the 4th aortic arch arteries early media formation differed from the other arteries, in that they almost completely lacked (or showed decreased) actin expression in certain areas. This discontinuity in actin expression persisted throughout much of foetal development, in the form of circular segments of cells displaying decreased staining for smooth muscle markers, both at the left and right side of the arterial tree. In adult mice, the 4th arch artery derivatives, segment B of the aortic arch and the proximal right subclavian artery, were observed to differ from adjoining vessels in their smooth muscle and elastic composition. Staining for neurofilaments revealed close association of the developing segments with apparent sensory afferent vascular innervation. Conclusion: The unique areas of the 4th arch artery identified here reflect the basic segmental patterning of the early embryonic pharyngeal arches. These segments correlate with sites that are predisposed to interruption or severe hypoplasia, and may thus reveal part of the aetiology of type-B aortic arch interruptions and arteria lusoria.

KEYWORDS Autonomic nervous system; Congenital defects; Embryology; Morphogenesis; Smooth muscle


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