Pressor Substances in Kidneys of Renal Hypertensive Rats with and Without Adrenals

Abstract

Summary 1. In rats, clamping of one renal artery or encapsulation of one kidney leads to a significant decrease in pressor material (renin ?) in the contralateral “untouched” kidney, while in the clamped kidney pressor activity is normal or only slightly enhanced. 2. These changes in content of renal pressor material are not necessarily accompanied by increase in blood pressure but were observed in every case of renal hypertension. 3. When hypertensive rats were adrenalectomized and maintained on small doses of cortisol, there followed a decrease in blood pressure and restoration of level of pressor material in the unclamped kidney. 4. It is suggested that diminution of pressor material in the unclamped kidney is not a prerequisite but a consequence of the pathological situation leading to renal hypertension.