Electron Microscopic Study on the Effects of Adrenalectomy on the Heart Muscle

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Abstract
To elucidate the relationship between adrenal insufficiency and the so-called lymphatic constitution, the electron and light microscopic changes of the heart muscle, the changes of ecg and the general condition of adrenalectomized rats were studied. The adrenalectomizec rats exhibited decrease in both the body and heart weights, cardiac arrhythmia, bradycardia and disappearance of P wave. Light-microscopically, the muscle fibers were atrophic, edematous and uneven in staining. Electron-microscopically, the mitochondria were enlarged, their external membranes were destroyed and the electron density of mitochondrial matrix was diminished. The cristae decreased and became fragmented. Edema and fat droplets appeared around the mitochondria. Glycogen granules decreased noticeably in number. The myofibrils became slender and fragmented. Results suggested that the ultrastructural changes might be induced by ischemia due to spasm of the coronary artery which was causable by parasympa-thetic excitation in adrenal insufficiency, and the changes seemed to contribute to reduction of the reserve power of the heart and to development of cardiac failure.

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