01322nas a2200241   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653002600059653001100085653001200096653002300108653002200131653000900153100001300162700001300175700001300188700001200201245007700213300001000290490000700300520075900307022001401066       1991                            d  c1991 Jul-Dec10aEndothelium, Vascular10aHumans10aleprosy10aNerve Degeneration10aPeripheral nerves10aSkin1 aYajima M1 aMurata J1 aYamada N1 aAsano G00aUltrastructural observations of small blood vessels in leprosy patients.  a121-70 v603 a<p>In lepromatous leprosy, blood vessels revealed the luminal protrusions of endothelial cells containing M. leprae and thickening of the basement membrane of endothelial and smooth cells. Endothelial projections with increased pinocytotic vesicles were more often encountered in lepromatous leprosy than in the other types of leprosy. On the other hand, in tuberculoid leprosy, the extensive rough endoplasmic reticulum suggesting protein synthesis was observed in the endothelial cells compared with the other types of leprosy and non-specific lesions. It seems that the blood vessels associated with hyperfunction and proliferation in the endothelium could aggravate the degenerative changes in peripheral nerve fibers including the Schwann cells.</p>  a0386-3980