The effect of thymectomy on the development of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We studied the effect of thymectomy on the development of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). There were no significant differences between thymectomized and sham thymectomized SHR during either the initial or chronic phase of spontaneous hypertension. Similarly, administration of anti-Thyl. 1 or anti-T sera did not influence the blood pressure in SHR during the chronic phase. The results suggest that the thymus does not play a direct role in the development and maintenance of blood pressure in SHR.