Summary
Maternal adrenalectomy at 7 or 14 days of gestation produced increased cell necrosis within zona reticularis cells on the day of birth and at 24 or 48 h after birth. Small remnants or large portions of adrenocortical cells were present within macrophages. In otherwise normal adrenocortical cells, lipid droplets were incorporated within some mitochondria. Autophagocytosis of single mitochondria was observed within adrenocortical cells. Undoubtedly ultrastructural changes represent stimulation of adrenocortical cells in neonatal rats in response to maternal adrenalectomy.
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The authors are grateful to Ms. Neonile Fylypiw, Ms. Dusica Havelka, Mrs. Ljubica Kojić for skilled technical assistance. Mrs. Elisabeth Lawson and Mr. Robert Linsmair assisted with preparation of the photographs. Mrs. Berta Cole assisted with preparation of the manuscript.
This investigation was supported in part by Research Grant HL 06975 from the National Heart and Lung Institute and Grant AM 18141 from the Institute of Arthritis, Metabolic and Digestive Diseases, and by funds from the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
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Nickerson, P.A., Hristić, M. & Pantić, V. Influence of maternal adrenalectomy on the ultrastructure of the adrenal gland in neonatal rats. Cell Tissue Res. 189, 277–286 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209277
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209277