The evaluation of tissue Ca2+ by proton-induced x-ray emission in the arteries of spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats.
Numerous investigations have shown that Ca2+ plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. The intracellular Ca2+ measurements were mainly carried out with Ca2+ selective electrodes. In the present study the particle-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) was used for investigating the Ca2+ distribution of arterial smooth muscle of spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats. PIXE yields a correlation of the Ca2+ distribution with the morphological structure of the arterial muscle. The Ca2+ content of the aortic wall of six spontaneously hypertensive and four normotensive rats was investigated. The results demonstrate that the tissue Ca2+ measurements found mainly in the smooth muscle containing tunica media of hypertensive rats are much higher (3105 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue +/- 569 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue) than of normotensive rats (2031 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue +/- 478 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue).
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D006973:Hypertension / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY
D002118:Calcium