AN AUTOMATED METHOD FOR FOLLOWING THE PRODUCTION OF CORTICOSTEROIDS BY ADRENAL TISSUE IN VITRO

Abstract

A device is described for monitoring the production of corticosteroids by adrenal tissue in vitro. Halved or quartered adrenal glands, distributed equally between two glass vials, were incubated in streams of buffered medium. One vial contained the control and the other the experimental tissue. Sampling of the medium in each vial was continuous; the steroids were extracted automatically, first into methylene chloride and then into ethanolic H₂SO₄ to develop fluorescence. The acid extracts passed through fluorometer flow cells and the fluorescence was recorded with a two-channel pen recorder. The use of the apparatus is illustrated by a record demonstrating the increase in corticosteroid production in response to ACTH.