NEUROHYPOPHYSIAL STORE OF VASOPRESSIN IN THE NORMAL AND THE DEHYDRATED GERBIL (MERIONES UNGUICULATUS), WITH A NOTE ON KIDNEY STRUCTURE

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Abstract
Desert-living kangaroo rats (Dipodomys merriami) have large neurohypophysial stores of vasopressin compared with rodents from non-arid environments (Ames & van Dyke, 1950). This presumably contributes to the animals' ability to produce very concentrated urine for extended periods (Schmidt-Nielsen, 1964). We have investigated the pituitary store of vasopressin in another rodent adapted to arid environments, the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus), both when allowed free access to water, and after 7 days of water deprivation. Young adult gerbils (ten males and ten females) were obtained from a commercial supplier and kept in our laboratory with free access to food and water for 2 weeks before experimentation began. The animals were divided into two equal groups both kept at 30 °C and 30 ± 4% relative humidity. One group (control) was allowed free access to food (Edinburgh University rat cake) and water; the other group (dehydrated) was allowed food only. Vasopressin was assayed

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