Author/Editor		Petrovič, Danijel; Zorc-Pleskovič, Ruda
Title		Current knowledge of myocardial structure and connective tissue skeleton of the human heart
Type		članek
Source		In: Štiblar-Martinčič D, Petrovič D, editors. Cardiovascular diseases. Proceedings of the 32nd memorial meeting devoted to professor Janez Plečnik, International symposium in memory of professor Rene Favaloro; 2001 Dec 6-8; Ljubljana. Ljubljana: Medical faculty,
Publication year		2001
Volume		str. 33-6
Language		eng
Abstract		The epimysium, the perimysium and the endomysium - the stroma or connective tissue skleleton of the heart - maintains the structure of the myocardium and it determines tissue tensile strength and stiffness. The progressive accumulation of interstitial collagen fibers in the heart may be expected to decrease myocardial compliance, disrupt synchronous contractions ofthe ventricles during systole, and may lead to ventricular diastolic or systolic dysfunction. Cardiomyocytes represent the crucial functional unit of the heart. Moreover, beside increased extracellular matrix deposition, cardiac cell death is also involved in the pathogenesis of heart failure. Apoptosis or programmed cell death of cardiomyocytes can cause scattered loss of myocytes and, when sufficiently widespread, this might impair ventricular function and cause heart failure. The research group of Piero Anversa have challenged the dogma that adult heart is postmitotic organ and raise the possibility that regeneration of myocytes may contribute to the increase in muscle mass of myocardium, which may be especially important in heart failure.
Descriptors		MYOCARDIUM APOPTOSIS HEART FAILURE, CONGESTIVE