Spontaneous Vacuolar Degeneration of the Adrenal Cortex in Pregnant and Pseudopregnant Rabbits

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Abstract
Vacuolar (“brown”) degeneration was observed in 30% of 62 rabbits. All the animals in this group that showed severe adrenal degeneration were pregnant, pseudopregnant or had old corpora lutea in their ovaries. No degeneration was observed in estrous animals (16). The pituitary gland was enlarged in all animals with adrenal degeneration. Degeneration was never observed in rabbits whose combined adrenal weight was less than 250 mg. The possible nature of the antiadrenocorticotrophic (anti-estrogenic?) stimulus in pregnancy or pseudopregnancy is discussed. In several animals with declining corpora lutea a “syndromic” association of findings was observed, consisting of enlargement of the pituitary, severe adrenal degeneration, degeneration of the ovarian interstitial tissue, hypertrophy of the liver and evidences of a high level of circulating estrogens. The histology and the histochemistry of the adrenal degeneration are described. Some observations are made on the adrenal changes after hypophysectomy in the rabbit.
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