[Effect of chronic hypotension on the adrenergic nerve plexus of the rat a. saphena and on its regeneration after femoral nerve injury].

The influence of chronic hypotension on density and fluorescence intensity (after glyoxylic acid treatment) of periarterial plexus of nerve fibers in saphenous artery wall and on reinnervation of this vessel was studied in Wistar rats. Regional hypotension in the rat hindquarters vascular system was created by partial occlusion of abdominal aorta distally to the renal arteries. Four weeks later, the segment of femoral nerve was resected in one of the limbs to denervate the saphenous artery. In the limb with intact nerve, chronic (6-7 weeks-long) hypotension resulted in 20% decrease of fluorescence intensity of nerve fibers, as compared to that one in normotensive (control) rats, however the density of the nerve plexus did not change. Partial reinnervation of the vessel occurred in 2-3 weeks after femoral nerve injury. After 2 weeks parameters of reinnervation were similar in hypotensive and normotensive rats, but after 3 weeks hypotensive rats demonstrated more complete restoration of the innervation.