ACTH Release by in vitro Pituitary. Effect of Pitressin and Purified Arginine-Vasopressin.

Abstract

A modified tissue culture technic for rat pituitary was used for assaying the ACTH releasing activity of commercial Pitressin and purified vasopressin. Pitressin increased ACTH release whereas highly purified arginine-vasopressin had no effect. The ACTH hypophysotrope activity of commercial Pitressin is attributed to a contaminant of vasopressin of probable hypothalamic origin.