[Regional and local differences in the structural changes in arterial vessels in spontaneously hypertensive rats]

Structural changes of the wall of arteries with different caliber that nourish skeletal muscle, guts and cerebral cortex of 7 months spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were studied. Vessels of ramification order I-II in which significant increase of thickness of media, internal elastic membrane and elastic and collagenic components of the wall occurred were shown to undergo greater changes as compared to normotensive rats (WKR). Popliteal artery displayed myocyte hypertrophy, while hypertrophy and hyperplasty of cells were seen in middle cerebral and anterior mesentric artery. In order III vessels media thickness increased only due to hyperplasty in all regions studied. In order IV vessels almost no prominent structural changes were observed. In was concluded that the nature of alterations in vascular wall of SHR is associated both with peculiarities of regional vascular bed and caliber of branches composing it.