Effects of gadolinium and cadmium on the electrically evoked release of 45calcium from the isolated rat neurohypophysis.

Isolated neural lobes of the rat pituitary gland were fixed by their stalks to a platinum wire electrode. They were loaded with 45calcium and then superfused with radioactivity-free Krebs-solution. The efflux of 45calcium into the superfusion medium was determined. After 54–60 min of superfusion the spontaneous outflow of 45calcium was 2.03%/min of the tissue 45calcium. It was not affected by cadmium (Cd2+, 0.03-3 mmol/1), but reduced by 40% in the presence of 1 mmol/1 gadolinium (Gd3). Electrical stimulation with pulses of 15 Hz (3 times for 1 min with intervals of 1 min) evoked a 45calcium release of 14.4% of the tissue radioactivity. The evoked release of 45calcium was reduced by 80% in …