Hydropic degeneration of the anterior pituitary gland (adenohypophysis) in uremic rats.
We observed hydropic degeneration of the anterior pituitary in rats made uremic by nephrotoxic chemicals, especially when the uremic rats were given a pure carbohydrate diet beforehand. The hydropic degeneration caused loss of nuclear and cytoplasmic content of many or most anterior pituitary cells. It was readily visible in paraffin sections by light microscopy. It was exaggerated when water was injected after the nephrotoxin and it was greatly reduced if saline was injected after the nephrotoxin. Low serum sodium levels in affected rats and the response to saline injection suggested that the mechanism for development of hydropic degeneration of the anterior pituitary gland involved hyponatremia. Depletion of total body sodium probably accounts for the enhancement of hydropic degeneration by the pure carbohydrate diet. Morphologic lesions of the anterior pituitary related to hyponatremia and uremia have not been described previously.
Levine
Seymour
S
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA. levines@nki.rfmh.org
Saltzman
Arthur
A
D000818:Animals; D001834:Body Water / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004032:Diet; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007683:Kidney Tubular Necrosis, Acute / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012694:Serine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013395:Sucrose / Q000494:pharmacology; D014511:Uremia / Q000473:pathology*
D012694:Serine; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D013395:Sucrose