Localization of arginine-vasopressin in endothelial cells of rat pulmonary artery.

The localization of arginine-vasopressin in the endothelial cells of rat pulmonary artery was investigated by immunocytochemistry at the light and electron microscopic levels. The immunogold silver staining method was used for light microscopy of sheets of endothelium, removed from the artery, and the pre-embedding peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique was used for electron microscopy of cross sections of the artery. With both of the methods used, numerous vasopressin-positive endothelial cells were observed. None of the subendothelial elements showed labelling for vasopressin. The results are discussed in terms of the involvement of the endothelium in local control of the pulmonary circulation.