Cellular changes in Purkinje cardiomyocytes after myocardial infarction.

A. Detail of a vacuolated subendocardial Purkinje cell. Subacute reperfused infarction group. 400x magnification. Hematoxylin-eosin. Microvacuoles predominate in this micrograph. B. Cluster of perivascular Purkinje cells with large vacuoles. Subacute reperfused infarction group. 200x magnification. Hematoxylin-eosin. An active fibroblastic response and hemorrhage can be seen. C. Intramyocardial Purkinje and transitional cells in the acute phase. Acute reperfused infarction group. 200x magnification. Hematoxylin-eosin. Note microvascular obstruction of the capillaries. D. Necrotic subendocardial Purkinje cells and cardiomyocytes in the acute non-reperfused infarction group. 200x magnification. Hematoxylin-eosin. C, capillary; CM, cardiomyocyte; E, endocardium; e, eosinophil; m, mononuclear cell; TC, transitional cell; PC, Purkinje cell; V, vein; v, vacuoles.