Circadian rhythm of interrenal activity in Xenopus laevis.

Young specimens of Xenopus laevis were kept under constant environmental conditions (artifical light from 600 to 1800 hr, feeding between 800 and 900 hr) and the concentrations of aldosterone and corticosterone in the serum were measured every 3 hr. Furthermore, the kidneys containing the interrenals were removed and their corticosteroid release under stimulation by the pars distalis and mammalian ACTH was determined. Under these conditions, the corticosteroid levels in the serum were maximal from 900 to 1200 hr (corticosterone, 7.7 +/- 0.47 ng/ml; aldosterone, 2.8 +/- 0.27 ng/ml) and minimal during the night (corticosterone, 5.2 +/- 0.43 ng/ml; aldosterone, 1.7 +/- 0.18 ng/ml). The basal secretion rate of the interrenals in vitro showed the opposite course (corticosterone, 24 +/- 3 to 72 +/- 8 pg/min/tissue; aldosterone, 46 +/- 5 to 68 +/- 9 pg/min/tissue). Stimulation by the pars distalis and mammalian ACTH clearly increased the secretion rate. After both types of stimulation the original rhythm was lost for aldosterone but still present for corticosterone. The ratio of the amounts of corticosterone/aldosterone was greater than 1.0 in the serum but less than 1.0 in the incubation fluid. It decreased significantly after stimulation in vitro by pars distalis or ACTH.