Are isolated femoral resistance vessels or tail arteries good models for the hindquarter vasculature of spontaneously hypertensive rats?

• We have investigated the extent to which the properties of small arteries from the hindquarters of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) are consistent with the characteristics of perfused SHR hindquarter preparations (for which the relaxed vascular resistance, the reactivity and the sensitivity are reported to be increased). We have therefore compared the in vitro morphological and pharmacological properties of a femoral resistance vessel (i.d. ca 200 microns) and of the tail artery (i.d. ca 600 microns) from SHRs with those from control Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKYs). When relaxed, for any given wall tension, the internal circumference of the SHR resistance vessels was reduced, but that of the SHR tail artery was normal. When activated with 10 microM noradrenaline, the SHR resistance vessels had an increased calcium sensitivity, but the calcium sensitivity of the SHR tail arteries was normal. However, the maximum response of both types of SHR vessels was such that the vessels would have been able to contract against increased transmural pressure. The noradrenaline sensitivity of the SHR resistance vessels was normal but the SHR tail arteries had a decreased sensitivity. The results suggest that the femoral resistance vessel is in general a better model for the hindquarter vasculature than the tail artery.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Fysiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Physiology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Animals

Arteries

drug effects

Calcium

pharmacology

Cocaine

pharmacology

Dose-Response Relationship

Drug

Femoral Artery

drug effects

Hindlimb

blood supply

Hypertension

physiopathology

Norepinephrine

pharmacology

Rats

Rats

Inbred Strains

physiology

Tail

blood supply

Vascular Resistance

drug effects

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)