The effects of a reduction in red blood cell (RBC) deformability on regional blood flow and RBC distribution were studied in rats anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium. RBCs were subjected to minimum hardening by incubation in a very diluted solution of glutaraldehyde (0.025%). Normal and partially hardened RBCs, labeled with 51Cr or 111In, were injected into the femoral vein, while an equal volume of blood was simultaneously withdrawn from the femoral artery. Approximately 70% of the labeled, partially hardened RBCs disappeared from the circulating blood within 25 min after injection, compared with less than 2% of the labeled normal RBCs. The relative distribution of RBCs with reduced deformability to normal RBCs in tissues was determined from radioactivity counting; this ratio (mean +/- SD) was 7.95 +/- 0.85 in the spleen, 7.44 +/- 0.43 in the sternum, 7.10 +/- 1.09 in the lung, 4.54 +/- 0.31 in the liver, and 3.50 +/- 0.61 in the femur bone. The results indicate a significant degree of trapping of RBCs with reduced deformability in these regions. This ratio of relative distribution of RBCs with reduced deformability as compared with normal RBCs was 1.06 +/- 0.13 in the heart, indicating the absence of preferential trapping of RBCs with reduced deformability in this organ. Regional blood flows were determined with 15-microns microspheres in the control period and after infusion of RBCs with reduced deformability (experimental).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

This study was performed with Dahi salt-sensitive (DS) and Dahi salt-resistant (DR) rats to detect differences hi cardiovascular hemodynamics and renal responses that might be involved hi initiating salt-induced hypertension hi DS rats. The effects of 4 weeks of 8% NaCl diet were studied hi conscious, male DR and DS rats hi which vascular and urinary catheters had been previously implanted. Results were compared with those obtained from control groups of DR and DS rats on 4 weeks of 1% NaCl diet. DR rats on 8% salt diet did not develop hypertension, and cardiac output and blood volume were unchanged; glomerular filtration rate, urinary flow, sodium excretion, and plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANT) increased. DS rats on 8% salt diet developed hypertension, and cardiac output and blood volume increased; glomerular filtration rate, urinary flow, and sodium excretion did not change, despite an increase hi ANF. DS and DR rats on 1% NaCl diet were subjected to ANF infusion. After ANF infusion DR rats had a decreased blood volume and an increased glomerular filtration rate, urinary flow, and sodium excretion; DS rats showed no significant changes hi blood volume, glomerular filtration rate, urinary flow, or sodium excretion. ANF caused vasodilation hi all regions studied hi DR rats; DS rats showed vasodilation hi all regions except the kidney. After acute volume expansion, although both DR and DS rats responded by an increase hi cardiac output, only DS rats developed prolonged hypertension. This finding suggests an inadequate vasodilatory mechanism in DS rats. In response to acute volume expansion, renal resistance decreased hi DR rats but not hi DS rats. It is concluded that the primary hemodynamic disturbance hi DS rats with salt-Induced hypertension is an increase hi cardiac output caused by blood volume expansion hi the absence of any vasodilation. Comparison of the responses of DS and DR rats to high salt diets, ANF infusion, and acute volume expansion indicates that the salt-induced hypertension in DS rats is initiated by a diminished renal response to ANF. (Hypertension 1989;13:612-621) T his study was performed with Dahi saltsensitive (DS) and Dahi salt-resistant (DR) rats to detect differences in cardiovascular hemodynamics and renal responses that might be involved in initiating salt-induced hypertension in DS rats. On the basis of experimental evidence as

In 10 pentobarbitalized dogs, plasma viscosity (Ep) was raised fourfold while apparent blood viscosity (Ea) increased about twofold by two steps of exchange transfusion of 200 ml of plasma with plasma containing high molecular weight dextran (mol wt 500,000, 20% wt/vol). Elevation of Ea was primarily caused by an increase of Ep but not red cell aggregation. As Ea increased, regional blood flow (by 15-microns microspheres) remained constant in most organs but reduced in the small intestine, spleen, and thyroid gland. Vascular hindrance (Z), which reflects the state of vascular geometry, was calculated as flow resistance per Ea. Among various organs, a reduction in Z was noted in the heart, liver, pancreas, kidney, brain, and adrenal gland. In myocardium, there was a progressive reduction of the endocardial-to-epicardial flow ratio, indicating a less profound vasodilation in endocardium than epicardium. These results indicate that dextran-induced hyperviscosity leads to a compensatory vasodilation in several vital organs thus serving to maintain blood flow and nutrient transport.

Experiments were performed to elucidate the balance of energies involved in the formation of red blood cell (RBC) aggregates and in their disaggregation. In order to achieve a mean stable rouleau formation, the aggregating energy provided by macromolecular binding to the cell membrane must overcome the disaggregation energy of electrostatic repulsion between RBC surfaces and the effects of mechanical shear stress. In a quiescent suspension the net aggregation energy is largely stored in the membrane as a change in strain energy. The alterations in strain energy cause the curvature of the end cells in rouleaux of normal RBCs in Dx 80 to change from concave to convex and back again to concave as [Dx 80] was increased from 1 to 4 to 6 g/dl; computation of net aggregation energy per unit area (gamma) from changes in membrane strain energy yielded values on the order of 10(3) ergs/cm2. The end cells of neuraminidase-treated RBCs remained convex with [Dx 80] above 2 g/dl, and gamma is probably on the order of 10(2) ergs/cm2. The variations in gamma with [Dx 80] and RBC surface charge are similar to variations in reflectometric aggregation index without shear ( RAI0 ), indicating that RAI0 reflects gamma. The difference in gamma between normal and neuraminidase-treated RBCs represents the electrostatic repulsive energy, the magnitude of which varied inversely with dextran molecular size and directly with [Dx]. Moderate shearing in the reflectometer enhanced RBC aggregation by promoting cell-cell encounter, but high shear stresses cause RBC disaggregation. The energy required to disaggregate a unit interacting area of normal RBCs in Dx 80 in a flow channel is on the order of 10(4) ergs/cm2, which is much lower than gamma. These results suggest that the release of the stored membrane strain energy during disaggregation aids in the separation process. The results show that the understanding of RBC aggregation requires the considerations of surface charge, properties of aggregating agents, and the rheology of the cell membrane.

Cardiac output, blood volume, total peripheral resistance, and renal blood flow were measured in awake salt-sensitive and salt-resistant Dahl rats on normal rat chow (1% NaCl) and on high salt (8% NaCl) diets. Rats were studied after 4, 8, and 46 weeks on a 1% NaCl diet and after 4 and 8 weeks on an 8% NaCl diet Salt-sensitive rats on 8% NaCl for 4 weeks developed systolic hypertension; by 8 weeks they developed greater systolic and also diastolic hypertension. Salt-resistant rats on 8% NaCl remained nonnotensive throughout the studies, although renal resistance decreased (p<0.05). At 4 weeks, hypertension in salt-sensitive rats on 8% NaCl was caused by increased blood volume and cardiac output (p<0.05), with normal total peripheral resistance. At 8 weeks, hypertension was due to increased total peripheral resistance (/><0.05); cardiac output was below normal despite persistent elevation of blood volume (p<0.05). Salt-sensitive rats on 1% NaCl for 46 weeks were hypertensive, with elevated total peripheral resistance (/?<0.05); cardiac output decreased (p<0.05), whereas blood volume remained unchanged. Salt-resistant rats on 1% NaCl remained nonnotensive with no changes in hemodynamics. Salt-sensitive rats on 8% NaCl for 4 weeks had an increase in renal vascular resistance but no significant change in nonrenal resistance or total peripheral resistance. The increased total peripheral resistance in salt-sensitive rats on 8% NaCl for 8 weeks and on 1% NaCl for 46 weeks was a reflection of increases of both renal and nonrenal vascular resistance. Salt-induced hypertension in salt-sensitive rats occurs by two mechanisms: on S% NaCl, hypertension is initiated by increased blood volume and cardiac output but is sustained by increased total peripheral resistance; with prolonged ingestion of a 1% NaCl diet, hypertension results from increased total peripheral resistance without increased blood volume or cardiac output Salt-sensitive rats on a 1% NaCl diet provide another model, probably more appropriate, to study human salt-sensitive hypertension unaccompanied by blood volume expansion. (Hypertension 1991;17:1063-1071) A lthough salt can play a significant role in the / \ genesis of hypertension, the precise mecha-A. \ . nism by which it elevates blood pressure is unknown. Experimental evidence indicates an important role for both the kidney and sodium chloride in hypertension.1 Dahl and coworkers 2 developed two strains of rats: a salt-sensitive strain (DS) that becomes hypertensive with high salt intake, and a salt-resistant strain (DR) that remains nonnotensive despite high salt intake. The Dahl model has been