Renal arteriolar obstruction without hypertension

Selective partial occlusion of the intrarenal arteriolar bed with microspheres in rats resulted in contracted kidneys simulating those of benign nephrosclerosis in man. There was no elevation of blood pressure, renal vein plasma measured by radioimmunoassay, or juxtaglomerular indices of affected kidneys. It is unlikely that arteriolar lesions are pathogenetically related to the development of hypertension.