Direct extraction of corticosterone from rat adrenal glands under an applied electrical field. I.

• 1.

  1. A method is described by which corticosterone was directly extracted from rat adrenal glands under an applied electrical field in the middle chamber of a seven-compartment electrodialysis-type apparatus. Anion- and cation-permeable membranes were used to separate the chambers which were filled with acetate buffer or water.

• 2.

  2. With the conditions used, whole glands with intact capsules could not be extracted. Good extraction of adrenal corticosterone was obtained when halved adrenal glands were used and when cation-permeable membranes limited the middle or extraction chamber. In this case 95% of the corticosterone was extracted in less than 5 min while little or no corticosterone was extracted from the glands in the absence of cation migration into the middle chamber.

• 3.

  3. Synthesis of corticosterone occurred de novo when a cation-permeable membrane limited the anodic side and an anion-permeable membrane the cathodic side of the extraction chamber.

• 4.

  4. The amount of corticosterone extracted depended also on the orientation and position of the adrenal halves in the extracting chamber.

• 5.

  5. The rapid and almost complete extraction of corticosterone with an electrical current suggests the movement of a charged corticosterone complex.