The results obtained from, a series of experimental studies on morphological changes of adrenal cortex in spayed female. rats are as follows.
The, rats were sacrified 30, 60 and 90 days after oophorectomy and the adrenals were removed immediatel3 after their :respiration ceased. Weights ´ of the glands were measured by torsion balance.. One of two glands of each rats were fixed in 10% formalin, and sections of tissue were stained with hematoxylin-eosin- for general histological studies. The glands of the other side were frozen -sectioned and stained with sudan III for lipid.
Other group of spayed rats were put into stress ccnditions by repeated injections of formality and by electric shocks, and adrenals of these groups were also studied in the same way for comparison.
1. Compare to the control group; weights of the adrenals of spayed rats showed no, significant changes 30 days after, oophrectomy while there were significant weight decreases in 60 ., and . 90 days groups.
In stress. conditions, normal rats showed remarkable increase in weight of adrenal, while spayed` rats showed only slight increase.
2. Main histological changes in the adrenal cortex of spayed rats were narrowing with shrincage of the cells of fasciculated and reticural zones. A distinct widening or proliferation of intermediary zone which does not exist in noral female rat was observed.
Sudanophilic substance in `the cortex showed marked diminution in fasciculated and reticular zones in spayed rats.
The adrenals showing such retrograde changes evoked by oophorectomy have reacted to the stress to a very slight degree. They showed mild enlargement of the cells and somewhat (increased deposition of sudanophilic substance in fasciculated zone. This type of reaction was considered to .be similar´. to that of non spayed rats reacting to stress, but very mild in degree.
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