Neurohypophysial peptide interaction with magnesium in avian vascular smooth muscle.

1. The contractile responses of helically cut vascular strips of chickens to vasoactive agents were studied.2. Large pulmonary arteries were contracted by neurohypophysial peptides, but not by angiotensin, acetylcholine, histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, bradykinin or eledoisin. The activity of oxytocin was greater than that of arginine vasopressin.3. Vasodilator effects of oxytocin upon small (200-500 mu diameter) mesenteric and muscular arteries were demonstrable, but inconsistent.4. Magnesium potentiated in a parallel fashion the vasoconstrictor effects of oxytocin and of arginine vasopressin.5. Deamino-oxytocin was potentiated by magnesium. This finding suggests a difference between the peptide-protein interactions of tissue receptors and those of neurophysin.