The origin and differentiation of adrenocortical cells in rats with portacaval shunt. A structural and...

The formation of adrenocortical cells in the rat was studied by light and electron microscopy in an experimental model, namely portacaval shunt (P.C.S.), in which strong hyperplasia of the cells of the capsular region occurs. The results of this study indicate that in physiological conditions at the level of the adrenal gland capsule some epithelial cells, morphologically distinguishable as dark and clear cells, are found which can be interpreted as precursors of adrenocortical cells. From observations of intermediate forms between capsular precursors and mature adrenocortical cells, which are found in high numbers following P.C.S., it seems that the dark precursors give rise to cells of the zona glomerulosa and the clear precursors evolve into cells of the zona intermedia, which are to be considered as the starting point for the formation of cells of the zona fasciculata.