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Abstract
Changes with time in the relative proportion of intramural pericytes and endothelial cells in capillaries of the retina were examined in essential fatty acid-deficient rats and their safflower oil-supplemented controls. The ratio of pericytes to endothelial cells rose, approaching a maximum value near unity only at about 9 months past weaning. The changes were identical in both groups. In the deficient animals' retinal tissue 5,8,11-epicosatrienoate was accumulated and arachidonate was reduced. In both groups 4,7,10,13,16-docosapentaenoate accumulated. It was concluded that altered fatty acid composition of the magnitude occurring in essential fatty acid-deficiency was insufficient to provoke pathologic changes in the capillaries within the times of observation covered by these experiments.