Distributions of microvascular pressure in skeletal muscle of one-kidney, one clip, two-kidney, one clip, and deoxycorticosterone-salt hypertensive rats.

Studies were performed on the cremaster skeletal muscle in rats to investigate the microvascular changes that are associated with established one-kidney, one clip (1K1C) and two-kidney, one clip (2K1C) Goldblatt hypertension and with deoxycorticosterone (DOC)-salt hypertension. Rats were anesthetized with urethane and chloralose; and cremaster muscles with intact circulation and innervation were suspended in a controlled Krebs bath. Microvascular pressures and vessel diameters were measured at three consecutive arteriolar (A) and venular (V) branch levels. Arteriolar diameters (means +/- SEM) in normotensive (NT) rats were 119 +/- 7, 86 +/- 5, and 31 +/- 3 micron respectively for 1A, 2A, and 3A arterioles; and venule diameters were 218 +/- 12, 141 +/- 15, and 53 +/- 7 micron respectively for 1V, 2V, and 3V venules. As compared to NT rats, there was a selective decrease in lumen size (percent reduction from control) for 1A and 2A (23% to 38%) in 1K1C and 2K1C rats and for 1A, 2A, and 3A (42% to 44%) in DOC rats. Venule diameters were not significantly different between normotensive and hypertensive animals at any branch level. Femoral artery pressures were significantly elevated (greater than or equal to 43%) in all three forms of hypertension; however, this increase in pressure was not proportionally transmitted throughout the microcirculation. This was evidenced by normal pressure in 3A arterioles and in all venules for 1K1C and 2K1C rats and by normal pressures in 3V and larger venules for DOC rats. Our findings indicate that elevated arterial pressure in chronic renal hypertension is not transmitted uniformly across all microvascular segments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)