Role of the kidney in the development and maintenance of hypertension caused by renal segmental infarction in the rat.

Utilizing the microsurgical method of transplantation in the rat, the role of the kidney in an experimental renal hypertension due to segmental renal infarction was studied. When the infarcted kidney was transplanted into the bilaterally nephrectomized recipient, hypertension developed so long as the donor kidney was transplanted within 2 weeks after infarction. With transplantation of the normal kidney into the hypertensive rat 8 weeks after infarction, BP remained high unless the infarcted kidney was removed. PRA after transplantation, or KRA of the transplanted kidneys were not correlated to the blood pressure levels. It was suggested that the infarcted kidney has the pressor mechanism, lasting for 2 weeks or more after infarction. The infarcted kidney also has the maintenance mechanism, establishing 8 weeks after infarction.