An equation of two exponential terms was found to adequately describe the efflux of phenylalanine and tryptophan from cerebral cortex slices of adult and 7-day-old rats. These exponential terms described two forms (components) of efflux taking place at different rates. The fast component of efflux was more prominent in the slices from young rats than in those from adults. In both age groups the contribution of the fast component increased with an increasing amino acid concentration in the superfusate, but there were no changes in the rate constants. The rate constants of the fast components were equal in all experimental conditions in both age groups. The rate constants for the slow components of both amino acids were lower in the slices from adult rats than in those from young rats. The reason for efflux occurring at two different rates is discussed. The fast component probably consisted of the amino acid originating from the extracellular space of the slices and of the intracellular amino acid released by exchange. The slow component consisted of the amino acid released from the cells by other mechanisms, e.g. by diffusion through the membranes or by some active efflux processes. The cerebral cortex slices from adult rats have greater ability to concentrate aromatic amino acids than the slices from young rats. This may partly be dependent on the more effective influx and partly on the slower efflux of amino acids in the slices from adults.

In this experiment we investigated whether the lack of the nocturnal melatonin peak under constant light would cause an increase in testosterone sensitivity. Castrated rats were kept under periodic or constant light for one week. They received a daily injection of vehicle, testosterone propionate (125 micrograms), melatonin (50 micrograms) or testosterone plus melatonin (125 micrograms + 50 micrograms). Serum and pituitary gonadotrophins and pineal melatonin were measured at the end of the experiment. Under constant light, testosterone injections reduced the serum luteinizing hormone concentration in castrated rats to that in intact rats, but, under periodic light, the decrease was smaller. Melatonin did not reverse the stronger effect of testosterone under constant light. The serum melatonin peak produced by the exogenous melatonin injection had a higher amplitude, shorter duration and earlier appearance than the physiological melatonin peak. Exogenous melatonin did not modify the physiological melatonin secretion, measured either as serum melatonin concentration or pineal melatonin content on the consecutive day. We conclude that the increase in testosterone negative feedback sensitivity of castrated rats under constant light was not due to the absence of the nocturnal melatonin pulse.

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