Endocrine Abstracts

The effect of ovarian steroids on the vasopressin response to an osmotic stimulus in the rat has been extensively studied. Oxytocin also influences salt and water balance in the rat, but the effect of oestrogen on the response of the hormone to altered plasma sodium has not been established. Observations have been performed on rats ovariectomised under anaesthesia with and without oestrogen replacement to determine whether the response was affected by reproductive status. Fos-...

Oestrogens affect fluid balance, influencing both ingestive behaviour and renal excretion. The renal effects are partly due to altered release of the neurohypophysial hormones vasopressin and oxytocin and involve oestrogen receptor beta (ERbeta). Normal rat maintenance diet contains soya isoflavones (phytoestrogens) which are also known to act at ERbeta. A study has been performed comparing the fluid balance and neurohypophysial hormone release in rats maintained for two weeks...