Submicroscopic changes in the capillary cells of an area of osteogenesis during body uptake of lead acetate

Ultrastructurometry has revealed that daily entry of lead acetate in a dose of 50-100 mg/kg per body weight for 1-2.5 months increases chromatin condensation in nuclei, promotes swelling and myelin-like degeneration of the mitochondria, hyperplasia of the endoplasmic net, as well as appearance of the "enlightment" zones in the cytoplasm of endotheliocytes and perivascular cells of the capillaries from a metaphyseal zone of the rat femur. These changes are a consequent of the edema of cells and of the decrease in their biosynthetic activity.