Ultrastructural changes in mitochondria of the adrenal cortex of iron-deficient rats. 1995

R Coleman, and Z Tanne, and M Nahir, and D Shomrat, and R Miller-Lotan, and M B Youdim
Division of Morphological Sciences, Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 3 weeks that were maintained on an iron-deficient diet for 4-5 weeks developed severe anemia with markedly reduced hemoglobin levels (4.11 +/- 0.20 Hb g% versus controls 12.74 +/- 0.15 Hb g%). On sacrifice, the adrenal glands were removed and processed for light and transmission electron microscopy and enzyme cytochemistry. The major histological and ultrastructural changes in the adrenal cortex in response to the iron deficiency were seen in cells of the zona fasciculata, especially in its outer region, and to a lesser degree in cells of the zona reticularis. Structural changes were seen in the mitochondria of these cells, which often became grossly enlarged and developed unusual electron-dense inclusions. In addition, the lipid droplets in the iron-deficient cells of these regions were much less developed and less prominent compared with controls. Quantitative cytochemical localization of succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) activity in the adrenal glands showed that in iron-deficient rats there was an increase in SDH activity in the zona fasciculata (46%) and in the zona reticularis (74%), whereas there was a reduction of approximately 41% in SDH activity in the zona glomerulosa. Serum corticosterone levels were significantly raised in the iron-deficient rats compared with the control rats. Our results indicate that severe nutritional iron deficiency in rats causes ultrastructural and cytochemical changes in the mitochondria of the adrenal cortex accompanied by increased secretion of corticosterone.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008854 Microscopy, Electron Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen. Electron Microscopy
D008928 Mitochondria Semiautonomous, self-reproducing organelles that occur in the cytoplasm of all cells of most, but not all, eukaryotes. Each mitochondrion is surrounded by a double limiting membrane. The inner membrane is highly invaginated, and its projections are called cristae. Mitochondria are the sites of the reactions of oxidative phosphorylation, which result in the formation of ATP. They contain distinctive RIBOSOMES, transfer RNAs (RNA, TRANSFER); AMINO ACYL T RNA SYNTHETASES; and elongation and termination factors. Mitochondria depend upon genes within the nucleus of the cells in which they reside for many essential messenger RNAs (RNA, MESSENGER). Mitochondria are believed to have arisen from aerobic bacteria that established a symbiotic relationship with primitive protoeukaryotes. (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed) Mitochondrial Contraction,Mitochondrion,Contraction, Mitochondrial,Contractions, Mitochondrial,Mitochondrial Contractions
D011863 Radioimmunoassay Classic quantitative assay for detection of antigen-antibody reactions using a radioactively labeled substance (radioligand) either directly or indirectly to measure the binding of the unlabeled substance to a specific antibody or other receptor system. Non-immunogenic substances (e.g., haptens) can be measured if coupled to larger carrier proteins (e.g., bovine gamma-globulin or human serum albumin) capable of inducing antibody formation. Radioimmunoassays
D003345 Corticosterone An adrenocortical steroid that has modest but significant activities as a mineralocorticoid and a glucocorticoid. (From Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed, p1437)
D004032 Diet Regular course of eating and drinking adopted by a person or animal. Diets
D006651 Histocytochemistry Study of intracellular distribution of chemicals, reaction sites, enzymes, etc., by means of staining reactions, radioactive isotope uptake, selective metal distribution in electron microscopy, or other methods. Cytochemistry
D000090463 Iron Deficiencies Deficient amounts of iron in the body as a result of blood loss, diets deficient in iron, or an iron uptake or storage disorder. Hypoferritinemia,Iron Deficiency,Latent Iron Deficiency,Sideropenia,Deficiencies, Iron,Deficiencies, Latent Iron,Deficiency, Iron,Deficiency, Latent Iron,Hypoferritinemias,Iron Deficiencies, Latent,Iron Deficiency, Latent,Latent Iron Deficiencies,Sideropenias
D000302 Adrenal Cortex The outer layer of the adrenal gland. It is derived from MESODERM and comprised of three zones (outer ZONA GLOMERULOSA, middle ZONA FASCICULATA, and inner ZONA RETICULARIS) with each producing various steroids preferentially, such as ALDOSTERONE; HYDROCORTISONE; DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE; and ANDROSTENEDIONE. Adrenal cortex function is regulated by pituitary ADRENOCORTICOTROPIN. Cortex, Adrenal
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

Related Publications

R Coleman, and Z Tanne, and M Nahir, and D Shomrat, and R Miller-Lotan, and M B Youdim
December 1978, Anatomia, histologia, embryologia,
R Coleman, and Z Tanne, and M Nahir, and D Shomrat, and R Miller-Lotan, and M B Youdim
May 1969, Bollettino della Societa italiana di biologia sperimentale,
R Coleman, and Z Tanne, and M Nahir, and D Shomrat, and R Miller-Lotan, and M B Youdim
January 1978, Archives de biologie,
R Coleman, and Z Tanne, and M Nahir, and D Shomrat, and R Miller-Lotan, and M B Youdim
August 1969, Experientia,
R Coleman, and Z Tanne, and M Nahir, and D Shomrat, and R Miller-Lotan, and M B Youdim
January 1990, Microscopia electronica y biologia celular : organo oficial de las Sociedades Latinoamericana de Microscopia Electronica e Iberoamericana de Biologia Celular,
R Coleman, and Z Tanne, and M Nahir, and D Shomrat, and R Miller-Lotan, and M B Youdim
January 1976, Journal of ultrastructure research,
R Coleman, and Z Tanne, and M Nahir, and D Shomrat, and R Miller-Lotan, and M B Youdim
March 1991, Zhonghua zheng xing shao shang wai ke za zhi = Zhonghua zheng xing shao shang waikf [i.e. waike] zazhi = Chinese journal of plastic surgery and burns,
R Coleman, and Z Tanne, and M Nahir, and D Shomrat, and R Miller-Lotan, and M B Youdim
January 1967, Chirurgia e patologia sperimentale,
R Coleman, and Z Tanne, and M Nahir, and D Shomrat, and R Miller-Lotan, and M B Youdim
October 1980, Journal of comparative pathology,
R Coleman, and Z Tanne, and M Nahir, and D Shomrat, and R Miller-Lotan, and M B Youdim
January 1980, The Journal of pathology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!