STUDIES OF ACTH ACTION UPON PERFUSED BOVINE ADRENALS: DURATION OF ACTH ACTION1

Abstract

Introduction IN THE previous study (Macchi and Hechter, 1954b) on the venous cannulated-lacerated (V-L) cow gland, it was shown that the magnitude of corticosteroid production is a function of the ACTH concentration of the perfusion medium. The question arises whether the effect of ACTH upon corticosteroid biosynthesis depends primarily upon maintenance of an effective concentration of circulating ACTH or whether other factors are involved. Thus, the possibility exists that circulating ACTH is fixed and retained in the adrenal (as has been suggested by Sonenberg, et al., 1951) so that glands might continue to exhibit increased corticosteroidogenesis despite the withdrawal of ACTH from the circulation. To obtain information on this point we have studied the rate of corticosteroid production in cow adrenal glands after withdrawal of ACTH from the perfusion medium. methods and results Cow glands perfused via the adrenal vein were used for these experiments.