Macrophages of the adrenal cortex: a morphological study of the effects of aging and dexamethasone administration

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
Henrique AlmeidaDelminda Neves

Abstract

Macrophages are present throughout the adrenal cortex, particularly in the deeper layers. They locate next to parenchyma cells, which secrete glucocorticoids under the regulation of the pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Blockade of ACTH secretion is followed by adrenocortical cell atrophy and apoptosis, an effect likely to cause an increase in local macrophage number and phagocytic activity. The purpose of the current study was to verify this effect and ascertain its age-related variation after ACTH blockade. Male rats at five different ages ranging from 2 to 24 months were divided into two groups, which were injected with dexamethasone phosphate or saline for 3 days. The adrenals were processed for morphological and morphometric study. The age-related increase in macrophage number seen in a survey of the sections was confirmed in the quantitative study: a significant increase in volume density (Vv), numerical density (Nv), and cell volume was found in both groups; Vv and Nv were higher in treated rats. These findings in the deeper layers of the cortex suggest a continuous process of phagocytosis, likely of parenchyma dead cells or their debris, which increases further after ACTH blockade. An additional modulatory e...Continue Reading

References

Feb 1, 1987·The Journal of Clinical Investigation·C F Nathan
Oct 1, 1973·The Journal of Pathology·A H WyllieA R Currie
Jan 1, 1997·British Medical Bulletin·J Savill
May 7, 1998·Endocrine Reviews·M Ehrhart-BornsteinG P Vinson
Jan 28, 1999·Mechanisms of Ageing and Development·H de AlmeidaM M Magalhães

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jun 29, 2006·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Henrique AlmeidaDelminda Neves
Sep 27, 2018·International Journal of Experimental Pathology·Soumia HammadiYasmina Dahmani
Sep 23, 2018·Endocrine·Esteban M RepettoCora B Cymeryng
Jul 4, 2021·Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology·Antoine-Guy LopezEstelle Louiset

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a specific process that leads to programmed cell death through the activation of an evolutionary conserved intracellular pathway leading to pathognomic cellular changes distinct from cellular necrosis