CYTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF THE ADRENAL CORTEX OF THE RAT WITH EXPERIMENTAL CARDIAC HYPERTROPHY

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Abstract
Characteristic responses of the adrenal cortex to variations in the sodium: potassium relations of the blood were observed by several workers. It has been demonstrated that low Na/K ratios in the blood induce a characteristic hypertrophy of the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex (Bacchus, 1950a, 1950b; Deane, Shaw, and Greep, 1948; Nichols, 1948). Conversely, influences tending to augment the Na/K ratio lead to signs of atrophy and hypofunction of this zone of the adrenal. The selective zona glomerulosa hypertrophy following KC1 flooding (Bacchus, 1951), and sodium deficiency (Deane, Shaw, and Greep, 1948), is prevented by simultaneous DCA treatment. These findings support the hypothesis that the glomerular zone is the site of production of mineralocorticoid hormones which serve to maintain a suitable Na/K ratio in the body. Na/K balance and the adrenal cortex have been implicated in the etiology of cardiovascular and renal lesions.