Histological, histochemical and morphometric changes of the contralateral adrenal gland after unilateral adrenalectomy

ABSTRACT

Three weeks after unilateral adrenalectomy, the adrenocortical thickness was increased, the lipid content of the cortical zones was markedly decreased, the alkaline phosphatase reaction of the outer part of the zona fasciculata was decreased, the acid phosphatase activity showed an increased reaction in zona glomerulosa and outer part of the zona fasciculata and the succinic dehydrogenase activity was increased in the zona fasciculata and zona reticularis. Eight weeks after the operation, the hypertrophied zones regained their normal thickness, the fasciculata cells with their remarkable accumulation of fat droplets reappeared. The phosphatase activity [acid and alkaline] regained its normal intensity seen in the control sections, and the reaction of succinic dehydrogenase enzyme was similar to that of the control In the contralateral adrenal medulla the pattern of distribution of adrenaline and nor adrenaline secreting cells was not affected by the operation