HPLC separation of corticosterone metabolites and its use in following corticosterone metabolism and transport in the isolated rat hepatocyte.

Incubating isolated rat hepatocytes with tritium labelled and unlabelled corticosterone at 37 degrees C resulted in the rapid appearance of at least nine corticosterone metabolites. A quick, relatively easy, and quantitative high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was used to separate these metabolites and follow their rate of appearance both intra- and extracellularly. We found different intra- and extracellular amounts of each metabolite at a particular time and this suggested that some metabolites were more available for transport than others.