title: Chronic stress effects on the apoptotic index of the adrenal cortex of pregnant rats.
abstract: Chronic stress by immobilization during gestation can alter several mechanisms that maintain homeostasis in adrenal gland. The aim of this work was to quantify the apoptotic index of adrenal cortex during mid-pregnancy and to prove cytological characteristics by electron microscopy. The apoptotic index did not present significant differences between the adrenal cortex areas of control and experimental rats in any of the three ages studied. The day of gestation influenced significantly on the apoptotic index in both groups. This index increased as gestation progressed. It may be concluded that chronic stress by immobilization might induce the increase of apoptotic index in adrenal cortex as gestation progresses which might be related variations of plasmatic corticosterone and prolactin, and to the decrease of specific growth factors. On the other hand, it might be concluded that each zone of adrenal cortex behaves independently in regards to apoptosis and cellular proliferation via paracrine and/or autocrine regulatory mechanisms without being affected by other zones.
authors: Cátedra de Biología Celular y Embriologia General, Facultad de Agronomia y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto, (CP. X5804BYA) Rio Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina. abozzo@ayv.unrc.edu.ar
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Bozzo
authors: Carlos Alberto
authors: CA
authors: Soñez
authors: María Teresa
authors: MT
authors: Mugnaini
authors: Isabel Cecilia
authors: IC
authors: Pastorino
authors: Alicia Nélida
authors: AN
authors: Rolando
authors: María Cristina
authors: MC
authors: Romanini
authors: Héctor Fernando
authors: HF
authors: Gauna
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000473:pathology*