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Correlated morphometric and autoradiographic studies of the effects of corticosterone on adrenocortical cells of intact and hypophysectomized ACTH-treated rats

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Summary

The effects of corticosterone on adrenocortical cells of intact and hypophysectomized ACTH-treated rats were investigated by morphometric and autoradiographic methods. The data obtained in these experiments allow us to make the following conclusions:

  1. 1

    The most important morphological parameter for assessing the activity of a steroid-secreting cell is the quantity of smooth endoplasmic reticulum.

  2. 2

    The decrement in the smooth reticulum in adrenocortical cells of rats treated with corticosterone is due to an inhibition of the protein synthesis by the hormones themselves.

  3. 3

    There is in vivo a direct negative feed-back control mechanism at the adrenal level, mediated by an inhibition of the RNA synthesis by the corticosteroid-hormones.

  4. 4

    The trophism of the mitochondrial fraction of adrenocortical cells is controlled by ACTH. It is possible to hypothesize that ACTH intervenes in the regulation of the mitochondrial RNA and DNA synthesis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Department of Anatomy of the Padua University, Italy

    Gastone Giovanni Nussdorfer & Giuseppina Mazzocchi

  2. Istituto di Anatomia Umana Normale, Via A. Gabelli, 37, 35100, Padova, Italy

    Gastone Giovanni Nussdorfer

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  1. Gastone Giovanni Nussdorfer
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  2. Giuseppina Mazzocchi
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The authors whish to express their sincere appreciation to Mr. G. Gottardo for his excellent technical assistance.

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Nussdorfer, G.G., Mazzocchi, G. Correlated morphometric and autoradiographic studies of the effects of corticosterone on adrenocortical cells of intact and hypophysectomized ACTH-treated rats. Z. Zellforsch. 111, 90–105 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00342103

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00342103

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