Altered contractile responses of arteries from spontaneously hypertensive rat: The role of endogenous mediators and membrane depolarization

The differences of SHR and WKY arteries were not related to vascular expression of α- and β-adrenoceptors or G-proteins. Enhanced contractility of SHR arteries is related to both increased presence of endogenous norepinephrine in vascular wall and also to altered vascular smooth muscle membrane potential.