Recording Changes in Renal Sympathetic Nerve Activity in Response to Arterial Pressure in Rats
Transcript
Take an anesthetized rat in the supine position and make an incision in the inguinal region to expose the femoral artery.
Occlude the artery to temporarily restrict blood flow. Create an opening, insert a pressure-sensing catheter to measure arterial blood pressure, and secure the catheter.
Position the rat in the prone position in a stereotaxic frame and make a lateral incision below the ribs.
Using a microscope, identify the renal sympathetic nerves, or RSNs, that regulate blood flow to the kidney.
Lift the nerve onto a recording electrode, add oil to prevent nerve dehydration and record electrical activity.
Intravenously inject a drug that causes arterial narrowing, which elevates systemic blood pressure.
Baroreceptors detect elevated blood pressure and signal the brainstem to inhibit sympathetic nerves, including RSNs.
Remove the oil, apply a gel to secure the electrode for stable recording, and monitor the RSN activity.
A transient inhibition of RSN activity coinciding with increased arterial pressure confirms drug-induced RSN inhibition.
