Angiotensin II (ANG II) binding and the physiological response to exogenous ANG II have been studied in isolated glomerular preparations from normotensive (NTR) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. 2. The binding of 125I-labelled ANG II by glomeruli from SHR was significantly greater than that by glomeruli from NTR, whereas the binding affinity constant (Ka) showed that the SHR ANG II glomerular receptor had a lower affinity for the hormone than the NTR glomerular receptor. 3. Glomeruli from SHR were significantly less responsive to exogenous ANG II than those from NTR. 4. Sodium loading resulted in a significant increase in ANG II binding by glomeruli from NTR, whereas a decrease in binding occurred in glomeruli from SHR. 5. Although a high sodium intake caused a reduction in the response of glomeruli from both NTR and SHR to exogenous ANG II, these changes were not statistically significant. In NTR this was associated with a decrease in the concentration of agonist required to cause half-maximal response (EC50), whereas an increase in EC50 was shown by glomeruli from SHR.
