Alguns aspectos funcionais do aparelho circulatório da baleia têm sido objeto de importantes relatos na literatura, destacando a acentuada bradicardia que ocorre durante o mergulho. Entretanto, existem poucas informações relativas à morfologia dos seus órgãos circulatórios, principalmente os componentes do complexo valvar cardíaco. Este trabalho tem como objetivo, abordar a morfologia macroscópica da valva atrioventricular esquerda da Baleia Minke, abrangendo também, os músculos papilares e as cordas tendíneas. Foram estudados os componentes anatômicos do complexo valvar atrioventricular esquerdo em onze corações de Baleias Minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata). Esses órgãos foram obtidos no ano de 1980, quando ainda era permitida a caça desses animais no Brasil, no Porto de Cabedelo, Estado da Paraíba. Desde então são mantidos em solução aquosa de formol a 10%, no Laboratório de Anatomia da FMVZ/USP. Fez-se uma abordagem da valva atrioventricular esquerda pelo afastamento, após incisão, da parede direita do ventrículo esquerdo, verificando-se que o coração da baleia Minke se assemelha em sua morfologia ao coração de mamíferos terrestres, apresentando um mínimo de quatro cúspides. A cúspide septal é maior que a parietal. Como nas demais espécies, as cúspides permitem o balonamento durante a sístole ventricular. A cúspide com maior área por corda tendínea é a septal. O complexo valvar atrioventricular esquerdo apresenta feixes compactos de cordas tendíneas, reduzindo o volume de componentes dentro da cavidade ventricular. Caracterizaram-se quatro tipos morfológicos de cordas tendíneas, caracterizadas como dos tipos I, II, III, IV e comissurais. O músculo papilar subatrial é o mais proeminente. A baleia pode apresentar, além dos músculos papilares subatrial e subauricular, um músculo papilar acessório. / A few information exist in the literature relative to the morphology of the circulatory organs of the whale, especially concerning the valvar complex of the heart. It tried to approach in this work, the macroscopic anatomy of the left atrioventricular valve of the whale Minke, as well as the musculi papillaris and Chordae tendineae. It was studied the anatomical components of eleven hearts of the Minke whales. Those organs were obtained in 1980, in the port of Cabedelo - Paraíba - Brazil, when the hunt of those animals was still allowed in Brazil. Those hearts are maintained in aqueous solution of formol at 10%, in the laboratory of Veterinary Anatomy of FMVZ/USP. Do Made himself then the access for the left atrioventricular valve, moving away the wall right ventricular of the cardiac wall by means of magnet incision in \" V \". The analysis of those hearts demonstrated that : the morphology of heart of the Minke whales is similar to the other terrestrial mammals, presenting a minimum of four leaflets. The septal leaflet is larger than to the parietal leaflet. As in the other species, the leaflets balloons during the ventricular systole. The leaflet with larger area for Chordae tendineae is the septal leaflet. The left atrioventricular valvar complex of the whale, presents bunches of strings compact tendineae, reducing the volume of components inside of the cavity ventricular. There is also, strings tendíneas classifieds as I, II, III IV and comissural types. The subatrial papilar muscle is the most prominent. The whale can present, besides the subatrial and subauricular muscles, one accessory papilar muscle.

Alguns aspectos funcionais do aparelho circulatório da baleia têm sido objeto de importantes relatos na literatura, destacando a acentuada bradicardia que ocorre durante o mergulho. Entretanto, existem poucas informações relativas à morfologia dos seus órgãos circulatórios, principalmente os componentes do complexo valvar cardíaco. Este trabalho tem como objetivo, abordar a morfologia macroscópica da valva atrioventricular esquerda da Baleia Minke, abrangendo também, os músculos papilares e as cordas tendíneas. Foram estudados os componentes anatômicos do complexo valvar atrioventricular esquerdo em onze corações de Baleias Minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata). Esses órgãos foram obtidos no ano de 1980, quando ainda era permitida a caça desses animais no Brasil, no Porto de Cabedelo, Estado da Paraíba. Desde então são mantidos em solução aquosa de formol a 10%, no Laboratório de Anatomia da FMVZ/USP. Fez-se uma abordagem da valva atrioventricular esquerda pelo afastamento, após incisão, da parede direita do ventrículo esquerdo, verificando-se que o coração da baleia Minke se assemelha em sua morfologia ao coração de mamíferos terrestres, apresentando um mínimo de quatro cúspides. A cúspide septal é maior que a parietal. Como nas demais espécies, as cúspides permitem o balonamento durante a sístole ventricular. A cúspide com maior área por corda tendínea é a septal. O complexo valvar atrioventricular esquerdo apresenta feixes compactos de cordas tendíneas, reduzindo o volume de componentes dentro da cavidade ventricular. Caracterizaram-se quatro tipos morfológicos de cordas tendíneas, caracterizadas como dos tipos I, II, III, IV e comissurais. O músculo papilar subatrial é o mais proeminente. A baleia pode apresentar, além dos músculos papilares subatrial e subauricular, um músculo papilar acessório. / A few information exist in the literature relative to the morphology of the circulatory organs of the whale, especially concerning the valvar complex of the heart. It tried to approach in this work, the macroscopic anatomy of the left atrioventricular valve of the whale Minke, as well as the musculi papillaris and Chordae tendineae. It was studied the anatomical components of eleven hearts of the Minke whales. Those organs were obtained in 1980, in the port of Cabedelo - Paraíba - Brazil, when the hunt of those animals was still allowed in Brazil. Those hearts are maintained in aqueous solution of formol at 10%, in the laboratory of Veterinary Anatomy of FMVZ/USP. Do Made himself then the access for the left atrioventricular valve, moving away the wall right ventricular of the cardiac wall by means of magnet incision in \" V \". The analysis of those hearts demonstrated that : the morphology of heart of the Minke whales is similar to the other terrestrial mammals, presenting a minimum of four leaflets. The septal leaflet is larger than to the parietal leaflet. As in the other species, the leaflets balloons during the ventricular systole. The leaflet with larger area for Chordae tendineae is the septal leaflet. The left atrioventricular valvar complex of the whale, presents bunches of strings compact tendineae, reducing the volume of components inside of the cavity ventricular. There is also, strings tendíneas classifieds as I, II, III IV and comissural types. The subatrial papilar muscle is the most prominent. The whale can present, besides the subatrial and subauricular muscles, one accessory papilar muscle.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect in infants. Identifying factors that are critical to embryonic heart development or CHDs in general could further our understanding of the disease and may lead to new strategies of its prevention and treatment. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3/eNOS) is known for many important biological functions including vasodilation, vascular homeostasis and angiogenesis. Previous studies have shown that deficiency in NOS3 results in congenital septal defects, cardiac hypertrophy and postnatal heart failure. In addition, NOS3 is pivotal to morphogenesis of aortic valve and myocardial capillary development. The aim of my thesis was to investigate the role of NOS3 in the embryonic and adult heart. I discovered that NOS3 deficiency resulted in coronary artery hypoplasia in fetal mice and spontaneous myocardial infarction in postnatal hearts. Coronary artery diameters, vessel density and volume were significantly decreased in NOS3-/- mice at postnatal day 0. Lack of NOS3 also down-regulated the expression of Gata4, Wilms tumor-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor and erythropoietin in the embryonic heart at E12.5, and inhibited migration of epicardial cells into the myocardium. In addition, my data show that the overall size and length of mitral and tricuspid valves were decreased in NOS3-/- compared with WT mice. Echocardiographic assessment showed significant regurgitation of mitral and tricuspid valves during systole in NOS3-/- mice. Immunostaining of Snail1 was performed in the embryonic heart. Snail1 positive and total mesenchymal cells in the AV cushion were decreased in NOS3-/- compared with WT mice at E10.5 and E12.5. Finally, in the adult aortic valves, NOS3 is important in inhibition of thrombosis formation. Deficiency in NOS3 leads to aortic valve thrombosis and calcification. At 12 months old, 72% (13/18) of NOS3-/- mice showed severe spontaneous aortic valve thrombosis compared with WT mice (0/12). Ex vivo culture of aortic valves showed that platelet aggregation and adhesion were significantly increased in NOS3-/- aortic valves compared with WT aortic valves. There was also a significant regurgitation of the aortic valve during systole in the NOS3-/- compared with WT mice. In addition, NOS3 deficiency resulted in significant aortic valve stenosis, calcification and fibrosis. In summary, these data suggest NOS3 plays a critical role in embryonic heart development and morphogenesis of coronary arteries and inhibits thrombosis formation in the adult aortic valves.