The reticular zone of the rat adrenal gland 60 days after exposure to a chemical fertilizer.

The author examined the adrenal glands of rats that were kept in a workshop of an NPK fertilizer factory for 30 days and then for 60 days in the laboratory. Histochemical examination of the reticular zone revealed an increase in neutral lipids and triglycerides and a decrease in phospholipids. The nucleic acid content, predominantly RNA, was enhanced. Although the acid phosphatase activity was slightly lowered, both succinate dehydrogenase and monoamine oxidase activities were increased. The results indicate that exposure of rats to NPK fertilizer had a stimulating effect on the reticular zone of their adrenal glands.

[The zona fasciculata of the adrenal glands 60 days after termination of exposure to chemical fertilizer]. / Snopovna zona nadbubreezne zlezde 60 dana nakon prestanka delovanja hemijskog gnojiva.

We detected fatty substances as well as enzymic activity in rats which, after a stay in workshop, where NPK fertilizer is produced, for 30 days survived another 60 days in normal conditions. The quantity of neutral fats and tryglycerides was reduced while the content of phospholipids was increased concerning the fasciculate's zone cells. After exposure to NPK fertilizer the cells nuclei got enlarged and dense. The activity of acid phosphatases increased, MAO was reduced, while the activity of succinat-dehydrogenesis was increased. The dermined quantities of fatty substances as well as the enzyme activity point to stimulated activity of fasciculate's zone cells.