title: Brain content and plasma concentrations of arginine vasopressin in an Australian marsupial, the brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula.
abstract: Arginine vasopressin (AVP) has been identified and quantified in the brain and plasma of the possum using a highly specific radioimmunoassay and high-performance liquid chromatography. Large amounts of AVP were found in the pituitary (16.3 +/- 0.56 micrograms/pituitary, n = 5) and hypothalamus (398 +/- 82.5 ng/hypothalamus), and significant amounts of AVP were also present in the cerebral cortex (26.8 +/- 11.5 ng/cortex). Plasma AVP concentrations were significantly lower (2.2 +/- 0.45 pg/ml, n = 10) during anesthesia compared to concentrations while conscious (4.5 +/- 1.19 pg/ml). Severe hemorrhage markedly increased plasma concentrations to 1091 +/- 225 pg/ml (n = 8). It was concluded that AVP is present in the possum brain, pituitary, and plasma, and that its secretion is stimulated by hypovolemia and inhibited by surgical stress.
authors: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia.
authors: R A
authors: RA
authors: Bathgate
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Sernia
authors: R T
authors: RT
authors: Gemmell
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009893:Opossums / Q000378:metabolism*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D001127:Arginine Vasopressin