Abstract

Decreased intracellular Mg⁺⁺ and increased Ca⁺⁺ concentrations seem to be involved in the pathogenesis of primary hypertension. Of special interest is the smooth muscle cell with its electrolyte metabolism in primary hypertension, but heart muscle cells and their Mg⁺⁺ and Ca⁺⁺ concentrations are also of growing interest. Therefore, in aortic smooth muscle cells and striated heart muscle cells (left ventricle) from 13 spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) of the Münster strain (systolic blood pressure 188.4 ± 9.8 mmHg) and 13 normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY, systolic blood pressure 118.5 ± 7.2 mmHg) aged 9 months, the intracellular Mg⁺⁺ and Ca⁺⁺ content was measured. Electron probe x-ray microanalysis technique was used to determine intracellular Mg⁺⁺ concentrations (Camscan CS 24, Cambridge, UK). The dry heart (g) to body weight (kg) ratio of the SHR was greater than that for the WKY rats (1.7 ± 0.2 versus 1.1 ± 0.2, p < 0.01), indicating significant hypertrophy of the SHR hearts. The calcium/magnesium ratio in vascular smooth muscle cells was significantly increased in SHR versus WKY (3.56 ± 0.39 versus 22.23 ± 0.27, p < 0.01). The calcium/ magnesium ratio in striated heart muscle cells was 1.65 ± 0.31 SHR versus 1.59 ± 0.24 in WKY (NS).

Author Details

Authors

• K. Kisters¹
• B. Gremmler²
• C. Funke¹
• M.Q. Nguyen¹
• M. Hausberg³

Departments

• ¹ Medizinische Klinik I, St. Anna-Hospital Herne,
• ² Marienhospital Bottrop, Cardiology, Bottrop,
• ³ Medizinische Klinik I, Städtische Kliniken Karlsruhe, Germany

Address

Prof. Dr. med. K. Kisters
Medizinische Klinik I
St. Anna-Hospital
Hospitalstraße 19
44649 Herne, Germany
Email: [email protected]

Citation