Intracellular electrolyte composition in various experimental models of hypertension: an electron microprobe study.

Changes in the intracellular ionic composition in the three models of hypertension studied are not uniform in the cells of the various organs. The composition differs not only from organ to organ, but even among the various cell types within the same organ. Marked differences--even diametrically opposite changes--in the intracellular Na concentration can be detected in the various models of hypertension studied. Hence, one cannot expect to draw a simple unifying hypothesis from an analysis of the changes in intracellular electrolyte concentrations occurring in hypertension. A more quantitative analysis of the intracellular ionic composition in other cells, particularly in vascular cells, is needed to define the characteristics of the various types of hypertension.