Abstract
Elastin content of aortic media of Wistar-Kyoto rat (WKY) and SHRSP were determined histochemically using microspectrophotometric procedure (MSP method). In WKY, elastin content increased until around 150 days after birth, and then it decreased gradually with age. On the other hand, SHRSP at 50 days after birth showed a maximum content and decreased remarkably with age until around 300 days after birth. After that, it became nearly constant. SHRSP died in early stage with stroke showed a predominant lower content of aortic elastin in comparison with SHRSP without stroke, indicating the close relationship between decrease of aortic elastin and severity of hypertension.
The results of current experiment indicate that the MSP method is useful for the histochemical determination of elastin content. Furthermore, the results also indicate the decrease of elasticity in the aorta of SHRSP, suggesting that aortic elastin has the important role for development of hypertension and/or stroke in SHRSP.
