Renal Catecholamine Stores Following Experimental Hypertension in the Rat

Abstract

The kidneys of rats previously subjected to partial unilateral renal artery ligation were studied to evaluate the activity of renal innervation in experimentally induced hypertension. Alterations in adrenergic innervation were examined from 3 to 90 days following operation utilizing a specific histochemical fluorescence technique. The distribution and quantity of fluorescent material closely paralleled the phases of hypercellularity, distortion, thickening add hyalinization of capillary tufts. The fine glomerular fibers 1st observed became progressively thicker and irregular and finally were replaced by aggregates of dense fluorescent material surrounded by coarse fibers. A juxtaglomerular plexus of fine and coarse fluorescent fibers was oriented about the afferent ar-teriole and proximal convoluted tubule. The disease process causing the other manifestations of hypertension in the experimental rats was probably also responsible for the altered catecholamine storage. This permitted fluorescent visualization of glomerular fibers not observed with previous techniques, suggesting an effect of enhanced adrenergic stimulation.