Taurine in the osmoregulation of the Brattleboro rat

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Life Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(88)90128-2· OSTI ID:6994948

Nieminen, M J; Tuomisto, L; Solatunturi, E; Eriksson, L; Paasonen, M K

The function of taurine in mammalian osmoregulation was studied in the Brattleboro rat with hereditary hypothalamic diabetes insipidus (DI). DI rats are chronically dehydrated because of their inability to synthesize vasopressin. One day of water deprivation did not affect the water balance in rats with normal vasopressin synthesis, whereas DI rats were markedly dehydrated and lost considerably body weight. Taurine content and /sup 3/H-taurine accumulation by platelets were significantly higher in DI rats, with a further increase after one day of water deprivation. In DI rats, water deprivation also evoked a clear taurine increase in skeletal muscle and in the brain. These findings indicate that taurine has an osmoregulatory function in mammals.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Helsinki (Finland)
• OSTI ID: 6994948
• Journal Information: Life Sci.; (United States), Vol. 42:21
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
HEREDITARY DISEASES
PATHOGENESIS
TAURINE
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
BRAIN
MUSCLES
OSMOSIS
RATS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
AMINES
ANIMALS
BODY
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
DIFFUSION
DISEASES
FUNCTIONS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RODENTS
SULFONIC ACIDS
VERTEBRATES
550201* - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques
550901 - Pathology- Tracer Techniques