Age-Related Alterations in Endothelial Function of Femoral Artery in Young SHR and WKY Rats

Figure 2

(a) Vascular responses to acetylcholine (ACh) and (b) sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in isolated femoral arteries of 7- and 22-week-old Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Values represent mean ± SEM of 6–8 rats. SHR-7: 7-week-old SHR; SHR-22: 22-week-old SHR; WKY-7: 7-week-old WKY rats; WKY-22: 22-week-old WKY rats. Symbols have the following meanings: ^x𝑃<0.05 compared to age-matched WKY (SHR-7 versus WKY-7, SHR-22 versus WKY-22), ^§𝑃<0.05, compared to maximal relaxation at ACh concentrations 0.3 μmol/L—this significance indicates the release of counterbalancing contracting factors in hypertensive animals.

(a)

(b)