ABSTRACT
AIM: To study the distribution, location and quantity of myocardial collagen(Col) in different phases after myocardial infarction(MI). METHODS: The method of immunohistochemical technique combined with automatic image analysis was used to investigate the changes of collagen Ⅰ and Ⅲ. RESULTS:Contents of Col Ⅰ, Col Ⅲ and the ratio of Ⅰ/Ⅲ were all increased in infarcted area (IA)after MI,and the increase of Col Ⅰ was higher, the collagen fibers still construct a network in acute phase, in chronic stage, all necrosis myocytes were replaced by collagen, the fibers were dense, and paralelled with cardiac cavity surface.In the septum,noninfarcted area, contents of collagen type Ⅰ and Ⅲ, the ratio of Ⅰ/Ⅲ were increased.In acute phase, the increase of type Ⅲ is dominant,with in chronic phase, type Ⅰ is. Right ventricle(RV) has no significant change in acute phase,untill chronic phase,it changed like septum,the increase in collgen is mainly type Ⅰ. CONCLUSION: The collgen remodeled after myocardial infarction were reparative fibrosis in IA phase, and reactive fibrosis in NIA phase. Remodeling occured later in RV than in septum.