The respiration and cytochrome oxidase activity of rat aorta in experimental hypertension

Oxygen consumption and cytochrome oxidase activity of aortas of rats with experimental hypertension were found to be higher than the corresponding values for aortas of normotensive animals. The higher metabolic activity of aortas of hypertensive animals appeared to be due both to an increase in the proportion of muscle cells to connective tissue fibers and to a higher activity of the intracellular portion of the tissue.