[Micro- and ultrastructure of the thymus gland in offspring of alcoholized rats]

Structure of the thymus has been studied in offspring of rats subjected to a prolonged forced alcoholization. A decrease in the part of mitotic figures, blasts, small lymphocytes, increasing amount of destroying cells and active phagocyte macrophages have been revealed at counting the cells at light optic level. Certain changes of morphofunctional state of the reticuloepithelial cells, containing vacuoles and large intracellular cavities, lined with microvilli have been detected. Presence of granule-containing endocrine-like cells and plasmocytes, increasing permeability of capillaries have been noticed. Absolute and relative mass of the thymus in the experimental offspring is lower in comparison with that of the normal ones. The changes revealed in morphogenetic processes of the thymus of the newborn rats are evidently related with alterations in the neuro-endocrine status in the functional system mother-fetus.