The secretion of prostanoids from an adult diaphysial rat bone organ was assessed throughout a 24 h period at 4 h intervals as well as the 24 h activities of bone alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme and serum corticosterone levels. Femurs were removed from 16 rats at each interval and incubated in the absence or presence of indomethacin (100 micrograms). The levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha), and the stable metabolites of thromboxane and prostacyclin, thromboxane B2 (TxB2), and 6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha (6-keto PGF1 alpha) were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The patterns for each of the variables was subjected to cosinor analysis for predetermined various periods. The chronograms obtained indicated that PGF2 alpha, PGE2, and TxB2 showed 24 h rhythms with computed peak hour acrophases at 1700, 1800, and 2200 h, respectively, and prostacyclin demonstrated a 19 h rhythm with a peak secretion at 1100 h. Corticosterone levels and bone alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme activity in the serum were at peak at 1630 and 2200 h, and at nadir at 0500 and 1000 h, respectively, both exhibiting 24 h rhythms similar to those of PGF2 alpha, PGE2, and TxB2. Bone alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme activity in the femurs' incubation media showed a 12 h diurnal rhythm with peaks at 1230 and 2330 h and nadirs at 0600 and 2330 h (p < 0.01). In summary, this study demonstrated for the first time a 24 h rhythm of prostanoid secretion from diaphysial bone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)