What Is an Antidiuretic Hormone?

Antidiuretic hormone (also known as vasopressin) is a 9-peptide hormone secreted by nerve cells in the supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. It is released after reaching the posterior lobe of the nerve through the hypothalamus-pituitary tract. Its main role is to improve the permeability of distally curved tubules and collection tubes to water, and to promote water absorption. It is a key regulating hormone for urine concentration and dilution. In addition, the hormone can also enhance the permeability of the inner medullary collecting duct to urea.

Antidiuretic hormone (also known as vasopressin) is a 9-peptide hormone secreted by nerve cells in the supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. It is released after reaching the posterior lobe of the nerve through the hypothalamus-pituitary tract. Its main role is to improve the permeability of distally curved tubules and collection tubes to water, and to promote water absorption. It is a key regulating hormone for urine concentration and dilution. In addition, the hormone can also enhance the permeability of the inner medullary collecting duct to urea.

Chinese name

Antidiuretic hormone

Foreign name

antidiuretic hormone

Antidiuretic hormone structure

ADH is mainly composed of the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus, a small amount is synthesized by the paraventricular nucleus, and then the hypothalamus nucleus combines with a specific protein, and moves in the form of nerve secreted particles along the axon to the posterior pituitary lobe and stores In the later leaves. This binding protein is called the neuropituitary hormone carrier protein (NP). Antidiuretic hormone is different from oxytocin. Antidiuretic hormone is composed of 18 amino acids and has a molecular weight of about 9,500 ~ 10,000. Its function is the hormone "carrier" in secreted neurons of the hypothalamus-neurohypophysis system. When nerve impulses reach nerve endings, the stored hormone releases ADH and NP into the blood at the same time through the exocytosis with the participation of Ca ++.

Regulation of antidiuretic hormones

Regulation of ADH:

Osmotic pressure: Elevated plasma osmotic pressure can excite the osmobaroreceptors located near the supraoptic nucleus or the third ventricle to cause the release of ADH. Low plasma osmotic pressure inhibits the release of ADH.

Blood volume: Low blood volume can excite volume receptors located in the left atrium and large veins to cause ADH release; inhibit blood volume expansion when blood volume expands.

Systemic arterial pressure: Low blood pressure can excite carotid sinus and aortic arch baroreceptors to release ADH.

Stress states such as mental stimulation and trauma can be released through the central nervous system excited ADH.

Hormones: Plasma ADH increases when thyroxine, glucocorticoid and insulin are lacking.

Physiological effects of antidiuretic hormones

Anti-diuresis: ADH combines with specific receptors of renal tubules and collecting ducts to form a hormone-receptor complex, activates adenylate cyclase, converts ATP to cAMP, and activates protein kinase under the action of cAMP. Phosphorylation of membrane proteins increases the permeability of renal tubular epithelial cells to water, and water is passively reabsorbed along osmotic gradients.

Raising blood pressure: ADH contractes blood vessels and visceral smooth muscles, producing a pressurizing effect. Synthetic ADH can be used to treat esophageal varices bleeding.

Excited ACTH release: ADH has a corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) -like effect to promote the release of ACTH, which may directly act on the anterior pituitary to stimulate ACTH release, but not CRF.

It has the effect of enhancing memory in animals. Promote glycogen decomposition and inhibit fatty acid synthesis in experimental rats.