Abstract
There have been developed several types of experimental technique or visualization of renal microcirculation. Although each methodology made much contribution for pharmacological and phisiological investigations, it requires substantial artificial manipulation that might effect the renal microvascular responsiveness. To circumvent such limitation of previous ex vivo or in vitro approaches to glomerular microcirculation, we have developed a pencil lens probe CCD intravital videomicroscopic system. Acute changes in glomerular microcirculation after administration of the calcium antagonist bamidipine were also evaluated by this system.In SHR, bamidipine caused a sharper reduction in mean blood pressure compared with WKY and STZ. The Af/Ef ratio increased significantly because of the marked dilation of Af. In contrast, barnidipine dilated Ef especially, so the Af/Ef ratio was significantly reduced in STZ. Using this pencil-probe CCD videomicroscope system, the characteristic and acute changes in in vivo glomerular microcirculation was visualized in pathologic animals. The sensitivity of Af to the vasodilating activity of barnidipine was enhanced in SHR, but reduced in STZ.
