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Background and purpose: Experiments were designed to determine the modulation by nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium-dependent hyperpolarizations (EDHF-mediated responses) of endothelium-dependent contractions in renal arteries of normotensive and hypertensive rats. Experimental approach: Rings, with or without endothelium, of renal arteries of 8-month-old Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were suspended in myographs for isometric force recording. Key results: ACh evoked relaxations in preparations contracted with phenylephrine. L-NAME (inhibitor of NOS) attenuated (WKY) or abolished (SHR) these relaxations. TRAM-34 plus UCL 1684 (inhibitors of EDHF-mediated responses) did not decrease the relaxation, except in rings of WKY when L-NAME was also present. High concentrations of ACh caused a secondary increase in tension, augmented in rings of WKY by L-NAME or TRAM-34 plus UCL 1684. The increase in tension was prevented by indomethacin. Under baseline tension, ACh induced endothelium-dependent contractions, prevented by indomethacin (COX inhibitor) or terutroban (TP receptor antagonist). The calculated endothelium-dependent contractions were larger in rings of SHR compared with those of WKY. In preparations of SHR, the contractions were augmented by L-NAME in the presence of SC19220 (EP-1 receptor antagonist). In arteries of WKY, the endothelium-dependent contractions were augmented by TRAM-34 plus UCL 1684. The responses were reduced by SC19220. Conclusions and implications: In the renal artery of the rat, EDCF-mediated contractions are augmented by hypertension. The endothelium-dependent contractions are facilitated by NOS inhibition (in the presence of an EP-1 receptor antagonist) and by the withdrawal of EDHF-mediated responses. British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 155, 217–226; doi:10.1038/bjp.2008.256; published online 23 June 2008