A radio-telemetry method was established for long-term recording of renal sympathetic nerve activity in conscious rats, enabling future studies on blood pressure regulation.
We have established a method for recording renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) by radio‐telemetry in conscious rats. Telemeters with appropriate high sensitivity and bandwidth (model TR46S, Telemetry Research, Auckland, NZ) were implanted in the abdominal cavity under isoflurane anesthesia. Electrode wires were secured to the renal nerves using a rapidly setting silicone elastomer via a retroperitoneal approach. In some cases, a blood pressure telemeter (TA11PaC40, Data Sciences, Minneapolis, MN) was also installed in the peritoneal cavity. In conscious rats, RSNA exhibited pulse synchronous activity, was abolished by ganglionic blockade (15–50 mg/kg pentolinium), and was greatly activated by the nasopharyngeal reflex response to smoke. High quality recordings could be routinely obtained for 1 to 2 weeks, but in some cases were found to continue working (e.g. as long as 98 days) when left longer. Application of this method will allow us to investigate the regulation of RSNA and its contribution to long‐term blood pressure control in freely behaving rats. Supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Health Research Council of New Zealand.
Vliet et al. (2008) studied this question.