The effects of mammalian posterior lobe hormones on the swelling of liver and kidney mitochondria, in the rat and the dog

Abstract

1.1. The activity of the neurohypophyseal hormones, arginine- and lysine-vasopressin and oxytocin, as mitochondrial swelling agents has been tested on the mitochondria from the liver and kidney of rat and from the cortex and medulla of dog kidney.2.2. The most potent hormone in this respect is arginine-vasopressin and the least oxytocin. Rat liver was more sensitive to the swelling action of the hormones than kidney, and medullary mitochondria more sensitive than those from the cortex. Swelling activity could be detected with levels of arginine-vasopressin which approached the physiological range.3.3. The role of the amino acid sequence and the disulphide group of hormones has been discussed in relation to the relative activity of the hormones and their target organ specificity.