Age-related changes in electrical reactions of rat aorta endothelium elicited by acetylcholine and ATP.

Age-related changes in some electrophysiological parameters of the endothelium in isolated rat aorta were studied. In comparison with young rats (6 months), resting potential of the endothelium in aged rats (24-26 months) was significantly higher and varied in a wider range. The electrical responses of intact endothelium of isolated aorta to acetylcholine were typical and regular in young rats, while in aged rats these responses were irregular and atypical. It is hypothesized that atypical electrical responses of the endothelium to acetylcholine and ATP in aged animals result from functional clustering associated with disturbances in electrical contacts between endotheliocytes. We hypothesize that the age-related decrease in NO production is related to disturbances of electrical properties of endothelial membrane.