Histological, histochemical, and cytological observations on the adrenal gland of the wild white‐footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Several cytological features of the adrenal gland of the wild whitefooted mouse, Peromyscus leucopus, are described. Nuclei of cortical cells vary widely in size. Medullary cells may be divided into two populations: one with cytoplasm staining intensely with basic dyes and the other with faintly‐staining cytoplasm. Photometric measurements of the DNA content of Feulgen‐stained cortical nuclei show many nuclei containing 4C and 8C amounts of DNA. The distribution of the polyploid nuclei varies in different adrenal zones. Nuclei in the zona glomerulosa are almost all 2C. A majority of those in the zona fasciculata are 4C and 8C. Those in the zona reticularis fall predominantly into a 2C class, with some 4C and 8C nuclei. Groups of formalin‐fixed medullary cells staining intensely with hematoxylin, toluidine blue O, and azure B correspond in location, arrangement, and morphology to those indicating the presence of epinephrine by several histochemical techniques. The substances responsible for the basophilia may be acidic proteins rich in carboxyl groups, since (1) RNase treatment does not appreciably diminish the basophilia; (2) all medullary cells are only faintly PAS‐positive; and (3) the staining behavior of the more basophilic cells, when exposed to azure B solutions buffered to acid pH's, follows that to be expected when this dye is bound by tissue carboxyl groups.