In the present study, we hypothesized that changes in perfusion pressure result in altered expression of mRNA and protein encoding for the ETA-, ETB-, AT1- and AT2-receptors in rat mesenteric vessels. Segments of the rat mesenteric artery were cannulated with glass micropipettes, pressurized and luminally perfused in a perfusion chamber. After either exposure to no ("organ culture" (0 mmHg)), normal (85/75 mmHg) or high pressure (160/150 mmHg) at constant flow for 1-17 h, the vessel segments were snap frozen and real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to quantify the ET- and AT-receptor mRNA content, or immersed in a fixative solution, dehydrated, frozen, cut in a cryostat and immunohistology stained for ET- and AT-receptor protein. The mRNA expressions of ETB and of AT2 were significantly enhanced in vessels exposed to high perfusion pressure, compared with normal and no perfusion pressure at 4 h. In concordance, AT1-, AT2- and ETB-receptor proteins were up-regulated at 17 h of high perfusion pressure. In conclusion, the results from our rat perfusion model suggest a more important role of shear stress than pure pressure alone and may serve as a surrogate model for studies designed to investigate hypertension mechanisms.