Immunofluorescence was performed in different eye structures to analyze the effects of hypertension in the expression of AQP1, AQP4, and the Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase α1 and α2 subunits.
Upregulated aquaporin-1 expression and function may be a response to hypertension that critically determines conduit artery vessel wall viability and long-term susceptibility to atherosclerosis.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> The aortic endothelia of two high-renin hypertensive rat models express greater than two times the aquaporin-1 and, at low pressures, have greater than two times the endothelial hydraulic conductivity of normotensive rats.