Studies on the release of gonadotrophins during the superfusion of isolated rat pituitaries in a continuous flow system

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Abstract
A continuous flow system was developed to study the endocrine functions of isolated organs. The procedure was used to investigate the effect of a synthetic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) upon the anterior pituitary gland of the adult male rat. A Radiometer blood gas/pH analyser was used to monitor the pH and partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the perfusion medium. A series of 6 experiments with 4 pituitaries per flask established that the rate of gonadotropin release under basal conditions was 646 .+-. 301 (S.D.) ng LH [luteinizing hormone]/ml and 404 .+-. 124 (S.D.) ng FSH [follicle stimulating hormone]/ml. The duration and intensity of the response to Gn-RH was assessed by measuring the areas under the curves according to the trapezoidal rule. A significant increase in the release of FSH and LH was obtained by the administration of 250 ng Gn-RH/ml medium, and dose-response curves were produced for up to 10 .mu.g/ml.