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Introduction: At physiological concentrations of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in plasma, a principal target organ of AVP is the kidney where its function is the regulation of water excretion. It has become recognized in the last few years that AVP acts not only upon the collecting tubules but also upon other sites of the renal tubular system and parts of the kidney tissue, in particular the medullary thick ascending limb of Henle's loop.

Vasopressin receptors: The actions of AVP are mediated by two distinct biochemical intracellular mechanisms. Vasopressor glycogenolytic activities of AVP are associated with an increase in the concentration of calcium and metabolism of phosphatidylinositol via activation of the V₁ receptor. Antidiuretic activity is associated with an increase in the intracellular generation of cyclic AMP (cAMP) after activation of the V₂ receptor.

V₁ receptor: Occupancy of V₁ receptors by AVP activates the breakdown of membrane phosphoinositides