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The ventricular myocardia of 14, 16, 18 and 20-day-old rat fetuses and newborns have been studies by light and electron microscopic morphometrics. The volume density of the myocyte and interstitial compartments as well as volume, surface and numerical density of nuclei were estimated by light microscopic morphometrics. Whereas, the volume density of myofibrils and glycogen granules as well as the volume, surface and numerical density of mitochondria were assessed by electron microscopic morphometrics. The volume density of myocyte compartment of the ventricular myocardia in developing fetuses decreased, but increased in newborn rats. On the other hand, the volume density of the interstitial compartment increased in growing fetuses and decreased in newborns. In all groups the volume, surface and numerical density of nuclei decreased gradually with elongation of myocytes. Conversely, the volume, surface and numerical density of mitochondria and volume density of myofibrils and glycogen granules in ventricular myocytes incresed. The increase in numerical density of mitochondria probably reflects an increase in metabolic activity. Sarcomere length also increased during development.
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