Vasopressin and osmoregulation: Older than you thought

摘要

The regulation of water balance ("osmoregulation") is a complex mechanism in which neural and kidney responses adjust urinary concentration in response to changes in plasma water content assessed by osmolality. The capacity to concentrate urine, one of the classical ways to assess renal function, reflects the structural integrity of the kidney and the action of a small neu-ropeptide (9 amino acids) called arginine vasopressin (AVP)-that is, the antidiuretic hormone.