ULTRASTRUCTURAL EFFECT OF GOSSYPOL ON THE ADRENAL CORTEX OF THE RATS / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

This paper presents ultrastructural observations on the adrenal cortex of rats following gossypol administration of a daily dose of 10 and 25 mg/kg respectively for various time periods. Stereological analysis was olso carried out on the cellular components of zona glomerulosa.No detectable ultrastructural changes were observed in the glomerulosa cell organelles in the treated rats of 10 mg/kg dosage groups. However, changes, such as increase of the number of mitochondria, derangement and decrease in the number of their cristae, distension of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, and increase in lipid droplets were evident in the zona glomerulosa cells of experimental animals treated daily with 25 mg/kg of gossypol. Sstereological analysis of the zona glomerulosa cells also indicated that mitochondria and Golgi apparatus had a tendency to increase in number and size, although There was no significant difference statistically from that Seen in control animals. "Anomalous cells" that had never been seen in the control animals were observed in the zona fasciculata of almost all experimental animals treated daily with 25 mg/kg of gossypol. These cells were characterized by thier condensed cytoplasm and smaller size, shrinkage of nuclear membrane, decrease in amount of smooth endoplasmic reticulum as well as denature or decrease in mitochondrial matrix. Other compensatory changes such as the appearance of whorled membranous bodies and cholesterol crystals in the zona fasciculata cells were also discernible.No obvious changes in zona reticularis of rat adrenal cortex following gossypol treatment could be observed. The nature and the significance of the ultrastructural changes in the adrenal cortex following gossypol treatment are a nalysed and discussed.