The adrenal cortex in spontaneously hypertensive rats. A quantitative ultrastructural study

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Cell Biology
• Hypertension Research

Background:

• The adrenal cortex plays a crucial role in blood pressure regulation.
• Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) are a common model for studying hypertension.
• Understanding adrenal cortex morphology in SHR is vital for hypertension research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the ultrastructural differences in the adrenal cortex of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) compared to normotensive controls.
• To evaluate the suitability of different Wistar rat strains as controls for SHR studies.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative electron microscopy was used to examine the adrenal cortex of SHR, Wistar-Kyoto (W/KY), and Wistar-CFN rats.
• Morphometric analysis focused on cellular components like endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lipid droplets, mitochondria, and nuclei.

Main Results:

• SHR zona glomerulosa cells showed increased smooth endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, with decreased lipid droplets and nuclei compared to W/KY rats.
• Zona fasciculata cells in SHR had reduced cell volume, mitochondria, smooth endoplasmic reticulum, and lipid droplets versus W/KY rats.
• Wistar-CFN rats displayed significant differences in adrenal gland weight and zona glomerulosa volume, making them unsuitable controls for SHR.

Conclusions:

• Adrenal cortex morphology in SHR is significantly altered, suggesting functional adaptations related to hypertension.
• Wistar-Kyoto rats are a more appropriate normotensive control strain for studying SHR than Wistar-CFN rats.