Abnormal water balance in a mutant strain of chickens.

Polydipsia and polyuria are pronounced in chickens of a selected strain and this diabetes insipidus is inherited. The kidneys of such birds are capable of an antidiuretic response when lysine vasopressin or arginine vasotocin is injected. Osmotic pressure and sodium concentration of the plasmas of normal and mutant chickens are identical. Chicks predicted to have diabetes insipidus on the basis of parental pedigree are polydipsic.