Production of ouabain by rat adrenocortical cells.

Our aim was to identify which adrenocortical cells produce ouabain and how it is regulated in vitro. With the help of an ouabain radioimmunoassay developed in our laboratory, we found that ouabain is produced both by zona glomerulosa and fasciculata cells. Our results were confirmed by reverse-phase HPLC. ACTH increased ouabain production in both cell types. Angiotensin-II, as well as changes in the potassium concentration of the incubation medium, affected ouabain production only in the zona glomerulosa.