Histological study on the effect of partial hepatectomy on the adrenal cortex of adult albino rat

ABSTRACT

This work was conducted on 30 adult male albino rats divided into 2 main groups. Group I [control group] consisted of 10 rats subjected to Sham operation. They were subdivided into 2 subgroups 5 animals each subgroups I- A and I-B, which were sacrificed at day 3 and day 7 after surgery respectively. Group II consisted of 20 rats subjected to partial hepatectomy [PH]. They were further subdivided into 2 subgroups II-A and II-B 10 animals each. They were sacrificed on the third and seventh day after PH respectively. The adrenal glands were dissected and prepared for histological study. A morphometric study was done for the thickness of the three classical zones of the adrenal cortex. In group II-A there was a marked vacuolation in the cells of zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata with disorganization of zona reticularis. Mitotic figures were very frequent in cells of different zones. There was a noticeable diminution in both the ascorbic acid and lipid contents in the cells of adrenal cortex. On the other hand, the mitochondria appeared markedly increased. The thickness of zona glomerulosa and zona reticularis showed a highly significant decrease. Whereas, the thickness of zona fasciculata showed a high significant increase. However, these changes were seen to be reversible and the adrenal cortex of rats in group II-B [7 days after PH] appeared more or less similar to the control