A morphometric study of the effects of melatonin on the rat adrenal zona glomerulosa.
The effects of a long-term administration of melatonin on the zona glomerulosa were investigated both in "normal" rats and in animals in which the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-adrenal axis and the renin-angiotensin system had been pharmacologically interrupted. Melatonin caused a notable hypertrophy of zona glomerulosa cells and a significant rise in the plasma concentration of aldosterone in both groups of rats. These findings indicate that melatonin exerts in vivo a strong direct stimulatory action on the growth and steroidogenic capacity of the rat zona glomerulosa.
Rebuffat
P
P
Department of Anatomy, University of Padua/Italy.
Mazzocchi
G
G
Stachowiak
A
A
Belloni
A S
AS
Coi
A
A
Nussdorfer
G G
GG
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D000804:Angiotensin II; D000450:Aldosterone; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D002216:Captopril; D008550:Melatonin