急性飢餓雄性マウスの副腎皮質における組織学的変化

Forty-nine adult male mice were starved for 1 to 7 days. All animals except 5 for control were divided into 7 groups and sacrificed group by group every day. The adrenals obtained were studied by means of histological techniques, especially of lipid and mitochondrial staining. The results and the discussion are summarized as follows.<BR>The adrenal represented significant hypertrophy in only one day's starvation and was extremely hypertrophied by the 3rd day followed by a decrease in size close to that of the control by the 5th day. No significant difference in weight of the adrenal was obtained between the 5th and the 7th day. Lipids diminished greatly in the inner cortex of the gland 2nd day. Mitochondria hypertrophied on the 2nd day and showed a decrease in size and number on the 3rd day. There were two types in the cytological changes from the 3rd day on. In one type little lipid and few mitochondria accumulated, while in the other a large amount of lipid accumulated and mitochondria hypertrophied. Sudanophillia shown in the adrenal cortical cells had an intimate relationship with the adrenal secretory activity and mitochondria were very sensitive indicators of cellular secretory activity. From this point of view, it can be supposed that the prompt release of hormonal substance in cortical cells may have occurred by the3rd day, and that the adrenal, from the 3rd dayon, showed no function, after releasing all of thesecretory substances or storing them excessively and being unable to discharge them at all. From the 5th day on, cortical atrophies and degenerations were observed here and there in the adrenals.<BR>Figs.2-6 were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, and fig.7 with Mallory-azan. Figs.8-10 show lipids in the adrenal cortex and figs.11-13 mitochondrial distribution in the adrenal cortex.<BR>Fig.2 Adrenal cortex of a control mouse.<BR>Fig.3 Adrenal cortex of a mouse starved for 3 days. Note the remarkable increase in width of the cortex.<BR>Fig.4 Adrenal cortex of a mouse starved for 7 days. Note the remarkable decrease in width of the cortex and striking atrophy of the cells, compared with those in fig.3.<BR>Fig.5 Adrenal cortex of a mouse starved for 5 days. The cortical degeneration is present.<BR>Fig.6 A portion of the cortical degeneration which occurred in the adrenal of a mouse starved for 5 days, shown under high magnification.<BR>Fig.7 A portion of the innermost part of the adrenal cortex of a mouse starved for 5 days. The special zone is present between the innermost zona fasciculata and the medulla.<BR>Fig.8 Adrenal cortex of a control mouse.<BR>Fig.9 Adrenal cortex of a mouse starved for 3 days. Note the extreme decrease in the content of lipid in the inner cortex.<BR>Fig.10 Adrenal cortex of a mouse starved for 7 days. Note the extreme accumulation of lipid. This animal died before sacrificed.<BR>Fig.11 Mitochondrial distribution in a control mouse.<BR>Fig.12 Mitochondrial distribution in a mouse starved for 3 days. Mitochondria in the inner cortex decreased in size and number.<BR>Fig.13 Mitochondrial distribution in a mouse starved for 7 days. Note the extreme accumulation of mitochondria particularly in the inner cortex.