Effect of burn on the histological and histochemical structures of the adrenal cortex of mouse

ABSTRACT

The adrenal glands were taken from nine male mice after exposure to burn on the thigh by a hot metal rod at different periods of time i.e. 0.5 hour, 1 hour and 24 hours [3 at a time]. The histological structure and histochemical localization of lipid, ascorbic acid, alkaline and acid phosphatase were studied. The results showed that half an hour after exposure to burn, the sinusoids in zona fasciculata were much dilated; while one hour after exposure to burn, zona fasciculata increased in depth and it was pale due to large number of vacuoles in the cells. The sinusoids were more dilated. Loss of subglomerulosal zone was noted. After 24 hours of exposure to burn, the histological pictures returned to that of control group. Gradual lipid depletion from zona reticularis and zona fasciculata started one hour after exposure to burn, followed by accumulation of lipid at twenty-four hours. A marked depletion of ascorbic acid in zona glomerulosa and depletion of ascorbic acid content started within 0.5 hour after burn from the outer zones inwards. Twenty-four hours after burn, ascorbic acid content returned to that of control group