Mechanism of the post-haemorrhagic vasopressin release from the posterior pituitary lobe.

The mechanism of post-haemorrhagic vasopressin release from the neurohypophysis was studied in rats anaesthetized with urethane. Neurohypophysial vasopressin content was determined according to Dekański and plasma renin activity by radioimmunoassay. In animals bled (1.5% body weight) 60 min after induction of anaesthesia and 30 min after bilateral nephrectomy vasopressin content of the posterior pituitary was significantly higher than in sham-nephrectomized rats. However, when haemorrhage was produced 240 min after induction of anaesthesia and 210 min after nephrectomy, the neurohypophysial vasopressin content was low and similar as that in non-nephrectomized animals. It is concluded that in the phase directly following haemorrhage vasopressin release depends on acute activation of the renin-angiotensin system. Other mechanisms, possibly circulatory reflexes, are involved in the late phase, during prolonged anaesthesia.