Determination of Blood Flow to the Rat Pituitary Gland

Abstract

A radioactive tracer method, employing Rb⁸⁶, is described for measurement of hypophyseal blood flow in the pentobarbitalized rat. The results indicate that the perfusion rate of the posterior lobe is 3.6 ml/gm/min. The anterior lobe has a minimal perfusion rate of 0.59 and a maximum of 0.90 ml/gm/min. under the experimental conditions employed. The time pattern of Rb⁸⁶ uptake of both lobes of the pituitary is similar to that of non-nervous tissue, indicating that the blood-brain barrier does not extend into either part of this gland.