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Estrous cycle-controlled cell proliferation in the adrenal cortex of female rats

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Summary

In a total of 120 rats the number of 3H-Tdr-labelled nuclei of the adrenocortex was counted during various phases of the estrous cycle. In two separate experiments cyclic variations in the number of DNA synthesizing cells were found. The labelling index of the zona glomerulosa showed a significant maximum in proestrus whereas in zona fasciculata a minimum was revealed in estrus. In the glomerulosa the maximum of labelled cells was followed by a mitotic peak in estrus. Due to very low numbers of labelled cells no rhythm was found in the reticularis. The possible endocrine regulations of this endogenous rhythm of adrenocortical cell replication are discussed.

Zusammenfassung

An zwei Kollektiven von insgesamt 120 weiblichen Ratten wurde der Einfluß des ovariellen Zyklus auf die Proliferationsaktivität der Nebennierenrinde untersucht. Es zeigte sich, daß in der Zona glomerulosa und Zona fasiculata rhythmische Schwankungen der Zahl DNA-synthetisierender Zellen auftreten. Das Maximum 3H-Thymidin-markierter Kerne der Glomerulosa liegt im Proöstrus; die Fasziculata weist ein Minimum im Östrus auf. Dem Maximum markierter Kerne in der Glomerulosa folgt eine Mitosewelle im Östrus. In der Reticularis konnten keine rhythmischen Schwankungen der Zahl markierter Zellkerne nachgewiesen werden. Die möglichen endokrinen Regulationsmechanismen werden diskutiert.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental Pathology, Dr. Karl Thomae GmbH, Biberach an der Riss, Federal Republic of Germany

    G. Pappritz, H. Keazor & H. Ueberberg

Authors
  1. G. Pappritz
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  2. H. Keazor
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  3. H. Ueberberg
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Additional information

Part of this work has already been published by H. Keazor as a Doctoral thesis at the University of Homburg/Saarland/FRG, 1974

The authors wish to express their appreciation for the expert assistance in the statistical evaluation of data rendered by Dr. Trieb and for the reliable technical aid by Mr. Majer

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Pappritz, G., Keazor, H. & Ueberberg, H. Estrous cycle-controlled cell proliferation in the adrenal cortex of female rats. Cell Tissue Res. 184, 269–279 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00223074

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