Abstract
The effect of a blood volume expansion (1-1.5% of body weight) on atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretions were investigated in 21-day-old rat fetuses injected intravenously through the umbilical vein with 50 microliters of isotonic saline. Basal ANF and ACTH concentrations were determined in the plasma with specific radioimmunoassays over a 30-min observation period. The basal plasma ANF concentration increased rapidly 1 min after blood volume expansion and then decreased to the control value 5 min later. The basal plasma ACTH concentration decreased during the first 10 min after injection and then increased to the control value 30 min after intravascular volume load. The results suggest that the fetal rat in late gestation is able to respond to blood volume expansion by increasing ANF secretion.
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