[PARAMETERS OF CEREBRAL CORTEX CAPILLARY NETWORK IN SHR RATS DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION AND STABLE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE].

The studies were performed in hypertensive rats (SHR strain) during the period of hypertension development (7-8 weeks) and stable high blood pressure (16-17 weeks) and in normotensive rats (WKY strain) of corresponding ages. The average number of capillaries per square millimeter, the average capillaries diameter, and the capillary network structure following the estimation of capillaries distribution based on capillaries diameter within the following ranges (up to 3, from 3 to 5, from 5 to 7 and from 7 to 9 μm) were investigated using the morphological approach. The average diameter of capillaries and capillary network structure in SHRs during the development of hypertension did not differ from the respective values in WKY rats of the same age. SHR rats showed disturbed microvascularisation by structural and functional rarefaction in the stable high blood pressure period, which was manifested in lower average capillaries density and average capillaries diameter as well as in substantial (2.5 times) increase in plasmatic capillaries as compared to WKY rats of the same age.