Stability of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide after storage.

natriuretic peptides are stored in solutions (0.9% saline, phosphate-buffered saline, etc), their storage life is markedly less. When stored for 6 months at -80TC, the biologic activity as reflected by natriuresis or diuresis when infused into animals8 or humans9 is no longer present in approximately 25% of the peptides thus stored. When this storage is continued for 8 months, 75% of the stored peptides no longer have biological activity. I hope this information will be useful to everyone with an interest in atrial natriuretic peptides.