Effects of hypergravity environment on the parathyroid gland of the propranolol-treated golden hamster

The fine structure of the parathyroid glands of propranolol-treated hamsters subjected to 5 x gravity environment was studied. In the parathyroid glands of the propranolol-treated hamsters exposed to hypergravity environment, the volume density occupied by the Golgi complexes and cisternae of the granular endoplasmic reticulum was increased as compared to that of propranolol-treated hamsters and was decreased as compared to that of hamsters exposed to a hypergravity environment but was almost similar to that of control hamsters. In addition, many chief cells contained rich free ribosomes, abundant mitochondria and some secretory granules located in the peripheral cytoplasm. These findings suggest that the parathyroid gland which may be suppressed by treatment of propranolol and stimulated in response to a hypergravity environment indicates the secretory activity of the control parathyroid gland.