title: Ultrastructural changes in the adrenocortical cells of post-hatching chicks (Gallus domesticus) following ACTH treatment.
abstract: Adrenal glands from control and experimental young chicks (Gallus domesticus) were collected and processed for electron microscopy. Control interrenal cells displayed ultrastructural characteristics common to other steroid-secreting cells. Blood sinusoids always remained open and endothelial cells of the blood capillary were well preserved. Under the influence of ACTH, lipid translucent droplets disappeared and were replaced by a few dense lipid droplets. These latter structures and lysosomes were often seen close to Golgi complexes. As the lipid translucent droplets increased in size, they became closely associated with mitochondria, smooth endoplasmic reticulum, and lysosomes thus suggesting a structural-functional relationship. ACTH caused a depletion of lipid droplets and an increase in the number of mitochondria, smooth endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, and desmosomes. Mitochondria generally showed a change in matrix density and cristae formation. Some were found to be fragmenting into smaller units whereas others were seen enclosing cytoplasmic matrix. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum was predominantly of the swollen type and lysosomes were primarily concentrated at the plasma membrane. The nucleolus showed a predominance of dense stippled materials as opposed to light stippled material. All these changes suggest that ACTH did affect the cortical cells of 17 day old post-hatching chicks.
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002645:Chickens; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009940:Organoids / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone