Osmotic regulation of vasopressin in the cat

This study examines the effects of blood osmolality on the release of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the cat. Prior to the beginning of the experiments, the chamber-isolated, unanesthetized cat, allowed water ad libitum had a constant plasma osmolality averaging 320 +/- 2 (SE) mosmol/kg and a constant plasma AVP averaging 3.4 +/- 0.7 microU/ml. Water loading decreased plasma osmolality to 312 +/- 2 mosmol/kg and lowered plasma AVP to 1.3 +/- 0.2 microU/ml. As dehydration occurred during fluid restriction, the plasma osmolality increased and plasma AVP rose to 8 times the base line after 2 days. The rise in plasma AVP correlated linearly with the rise in plasma osmolality (r = 0.81; P less than 0.01). The cat's osmotic-vasopressin relationships are unique among mammals, revealing an elevated osmotic "set point" (threshold) and with regression analysis an increased "gain" or "'sensitivity" (increased slope of the regression line). We speculate that these unusual osmotic-AVP relationships may be related to some specialized features of the cat, such as hypothalamic anatomy or cerebral arterial blood supply.