MORPHOMETRIC INVESTIGATION OF HYPERTROPHY IN THE ARTERIES OF DOCA-HYPERTENSIVE RATS

The increase in peripheral resistance of the vascular bed in hypertension has been attributed to adaptive hypertrophy of the media or a so-called contracture of the arterial wall due to altered reactivity of smooth muscle cells. Medial cross-sectional area, number of smooth muscle cell nuclei and the relative proprotions of scleroproteins present in the media were measured in hypertensive rats. Hyperplasia of smooth muscle cells and an increase in medial area occur in hypertension, a change most marked in the peripheral branches of the renal artery.