title: Structural and mechanical adaptations in rat aorta in response to sustained changes in arterial pressure.
abstract: Structural and mechanical adaptations in response to sustained changes in arterial pressure were studied on abdominal aorta of the male rat. Two models were used: 1. Aortic ligature (L), immediately below the renal arteries producing hypotension distal to the knot (duration before sacrifice 6 weeks or 3 months). 2. One-clip renal hypertensive rats (H) (duration 6 weeks). Normotensive sham-operated rats (C) served as controls. At sacrifice mean tail artery pressure was L: 58 +/- 1, C: 110 +/- 3, and H: 163 +/- 5 mmHg (SE, N=6). Segments of abdominal aorta were mounted in vitro for determination of their length-tension relations (activation: High-K+ solution with 2.5 mM Ca2+). At end of experiments the vessels were supramaximally stimulated at optimal circumference (1o) for active force (activation: High-K+ solution with 10 mM Ca2+, and 10(-5) M noradrenaline), and then fixated for light and electron microscopy. Passive and active length-tension relations were shifted towards lower and higher circumference values for hypo- and hypertensive vessels, respectively. The 1o values were L: 3.60 +/- 0.13, C: 4.44 +/- 0.19, and H: 4.91 +/- 0.29 mm. The media thickness at 1o was reduced in L: 56.0 +/- 3.3, and increased in H: 81.3 +/- 2.4 compared to C: 73.4 +/- 1.8 micron. Maximal active wall stress was L: 46.6 +/- 9.8, C: 74.2 +/- 7.0, and H: 83.8 +/- 7.7 mN/mm2. Intracellular volume (ICV) in the media was L: 30 +/- 2, C: 45 +/- 3, and H: 44 +/- 1% (n=4 for each).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure; D006973:Hypertension / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007022:Hypotension / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014655:Vascular Resistance