Effects of tetraethylammonium ions on frequency-dependent vasopressin release from the rat neurohypophysis.

1. Isolated rat neurohypophyses were fixed by their stalks to a platinum wire electrode and superfused with oxygenated Krebs-HEPES solution. Vasopressin release into the medium was determined by radioimmunoassay. Vasopressin secretion was increased by electrical stimulation at different frequencies (3-30 Hz) and different train lengths (75-900 pulses). The effects of tetraethylammonium (TEA) ions and of enhanced calcium were tested. 2. Electrical stimulation at 7.5 or 15 Hz evoked a markedly larger release of vasopressin than stimulation at 3 Hz. During continuous stimulation at 7.5 and 15 Hz the evoked vasopressin release per pulse declined rapidly, but with similar time constants for both…