Investigations of the Permeability Changes of the Vascular Wall in Experimental Malignant Hypertension by means of a Colloidal Iron Preparation

Abstract Changes in the permeability of small arteries in experimental malignant hypertension were investigated by means of colloidal tracers. Simultaneously with the development of hypertensive lesions of the vascular wall, an infiltration of plasma was observed. It was possible to facilitate the recognition of this infiltration by the injection of colloidal iron and of colloidal carbon particles; the particulate material escaped from the plasma and accumulated locally within the vessel wall. The iron preparation appears to be better suited than carbon for the study of the initial stage of enhanced vascular permeability since iron can be easily detected with both the light and the electron microscope and is bound to a definite serum protein fraction. Furthermore, the presence of iron is recognisable earlier than that of carbon.