Thayer E S, Bandick N R
Paroi Arterielle. 1981;7(4):135-41.
Vascular smooth muscle from femoral arteries of hypertensive rats contract autorhythmically in vitro, whereas medial smooth muscle cells from normotensive animals are normally quiescent. This behavior suggests improved intercellular communication that permits pacemakers to control large numbers of cells. We used a transmission electron microscope to search for structural evidence of such change. In the medial arterial tissue of hypertensive rats, we found pedishaped projections extending from one cell and forming a close apposition with the smooth muscle surface of a neighboring cell. Comparable structures were not found in the normotensive controls. However, numerous other forms of close appositions were found in the tissues from the hypertensive and normotensive rats. The presence of the unique pedishaped projections in the hypertensive tissue suggest a physical means of intercellular communication permitting enhanced pacemaker influence. Perhaps these projections are formed in response to the hormonal environment seen prior to and during renal hypertension.
高血压大鼠股动脉的血管平滑肌在体外能自动节律性收缩，而正常血压动物的血管中层平滑肌细胞通常是静止的。这种现象表明细胞间通讯得到改善，使得起搏器能够控制大量细胞。我们使用透射电子显微镜寻找这种变化的结构证据。在高血压大鼠的动脉中层组织中，我们发现有从一个细胞伸出的足状突起，并与相邻细胞的平滑肌表面紧密贴合。在正常血压对照组中未发现类似结构。然而，在高血压和正常血压大鼠的组织中都发现了许多其他形式的紧密贴合。高血压组织中独特的足状突起的存在提示了一种细胞间通讯的物理方式，使得起搏器的影响得以增强。也许这些突起是对肾性高血压发生前及发生期间的激素环境做出的反应而形成的。
