The X zone of the mouse adrenal cortex of the Swiss albino strain

Deacon, Carolyn F.; Mosley, W.; Jones, Ian

doi:10.1016/0016-6480(86)90253-4

Cited by 38 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…However, in 5-month-old virgin bLHβ-CTP females, the adrenal X-zone could not be seen, possibly due to effect of the elevated ovarian androgen production. It has been suggested earlier that the Xzone may be the LH-responsive area of the mouse adrenal cortex (40). Our data on LHR expression do not support this, as there was no correlation between LHR…”

Section: Figurecontrasting

confidence: 87%

Elevated luteinizing hormone induces expression of its receptor and promotes steroidogenesis in the adrenal cortex

Kero¹,

Poutanen²,

Zhang³

et al. 2000

J. Clin. Invest.

142

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Transgenic (TG) female mice expressing bLHβ-CTP (a chimeric protein derived from the β-subunit of bovine luteinizing hormone [LH] and a fragment of the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin [hCG]) exhibit elevated serum LH, infertility, polycystic ovaries, and ovarian tumors. In humans, increased LH secretion also occurs in infertility and polycystic ovarian syndrome, often concomitant with adrenocortical dysfunction. We therefore investigated adrenal function in LH overexpressing bLHβ-CTP female mice. The size of their adrenals was increased by 80% with histological signs of cortical stimulation. Furthermore, adrenal steroid production was increased, with up to 14-fold elevated serum corticosterone. Primary adrenal cells from TG and control females responded similarly to ACTH stimulation, but, surprisingly, the TG adrenals responded to hCG with significantly increased cAMP, progesterone, and corticosterone production. LH receptor (LHR) expression and activity were also elevated in adrenals from female TG mice, but gonadectomized TG females showed no increase in corticosterone, suggesting that the dysfunctional ovaries of the intact TG females promote adrenocortical hyperfunction. We suggest that, in intact TG females, enhanced ovarian estrogen synthesis causes increased secretion of prolactin (PRL), which elevates LHR expression. Chronically elevated serum LH, augmented by enhanced PRL production, induces functional LHR expression in mouse adrenal cortex, leading to elevated, LH-dependent, corticosterone production. Thus, besides polycystic ovaries, the bLHβ-CTP mice provide a useful model for studying human disorders related to elevated LH secretion and adrenocortical hyperfunction.

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Section: Figurecontrasting

confidence: 87%

Elevated luteinizing hormone induces expression of its receptor and promotes steroidogenesis in the adrenal cortex

Kero¹,

Poutanen²,

Zhang³

et al. 2000

J. Clin. Invest.

142

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Tanaka et al did not detect the X-zone in 5-wk-old male C57BL/6J or DDD mice. Contribution of the X-zone to the total cortical area in 5-wk-old female mice was 15% in C57BL/6J mice and 63% in DDD mice (7,30). In adrenal sections from 3-wk-old male Swiss Albino mice, the area of the X-zone corresponded to 17 and 26% of the total adrenal area in males and females, respectively (7).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At an age of 3 wk, animals were weaned and separated according to gender. At different points of time (3,5,7,9, and 11 wk after birth), male and female mice (n Ն 12/sex/age group) were weighed and killed after obtaining a blood sample under ether anesthesia. The abdominal cavity was opened, and the adrenal glands were recovered, carefully freed from adjacent tissues under a stereo dissecting microscope, and weighed individually to the nearest 0.1 mg. For stereological analyses, mice were fixed immediately after death by cervical dislocation by orthograde perfusion with 4% paraformaldehyde via the left heart ventricle.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Growth analysis of the mouse adrenal gland from weaning to adulthood: time- and gender-dependent alterations of cell size and number in the cortical compartment

Bielohuby

Herbach²,

Wanke³

et al. 2007

American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism

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The adrenal gland is of critical importance for a plethora of biological processes. We performed the first systematic analysis of adrenal gland growth using unbiased stereological methods in male and female mice from weaning to adulthood ( weeks 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11) at the organ, compartment, and cellular levels. Adrenal weights increased from week 3 to week 7 in male and female mice, remained at this level in females, but decreased by 25% between week 7 and week 9 in males. Female adrenal glands displayed a higher weight at any stage investigated. The volume of the zona fasciculata was consistently higher in female vs. male mice. In both genders, the number of zona fasciculata cells reached a maximum at the age of 7 wk and decreased significantly until week 9. Serum corticosterone concentrations decreased from 3 to 11 wk of age both in male and female mice. However, the estimated total amounts of corticosterone in the circulation were similar in 3- and 11-wk-old mice. Furthermore, total circulating corticosterone was higher in females than in males at an age of 5 and 11 wk. In the zona glomerulosa and in the X-zone, time- and gender-dependent growth effects were observed. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that growth and function of the adrenal glands are markedly influenced by gender and age. These factors require careful consideration in studies aiming at the functional dissection of genetic and environmental factors affecting adrenal growth and function.

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“…Furthermore, the X zone degenerated in the absence of pregnancy or lactation. It was reported previously that degeneration of the X zone is promoted by exogenous androgen administration [6], by endogenous androgen secretion in males [3], and by the first pregnancy and lacta- tion in females [9]. Recently, Bielohuby et al demonstrated that the growth and function of the murine adrenal gland is markedly affected by sex and age [1].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, in the absence of pregnancy, X zone degeneration is induced by the administration of androgen [6]. In male mice, degeneration of the X zone is induced by sexual maturation [3]; and regeneration of a second X zone is induced by castration of adult mice or androgen administration [4,7]. Thus, the endocrinological characteristics of these four adrenocortical zones are well known.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Morphometric Study of the Adrenal Cortex of the Female DDD Mouse

Tsujio

Mizorogi

Nishijima

et al. 2009

The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science

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ABSTRACT. The aim of this study was to determine whether the thickness of the adrenocortical zone is associated with age in virgin and parous female DDD mice. The zona reticularis and zona glomerulosa of parous mice tended to be thicker than those of virgin mice at all ages. The zona fasciculata lactating parous mice was significantly thicker than that of virgin mice at 20 weeks of age (P<0.01). Age did not affect the thickness of the three outer adrenocortical zones in either group. However, in virgin mice, the X zone consisted of vacuolated and nonvacuolated cells at 5 weeks of age and only of vacuolated cells at 10 weeks of age; the number of vacuolated cells and the thickness of the zone decreased at 40 weeks of age. In contrast, parous mice of all ages lacked an X zone. The decrease in X zone thickness with age was most evident when expressed relative to organ weight. In conclusion, the thickness of the outer three adrenocortical zones is affected by endocrine changes associated with pregnancy and lactation but not by age. The thickness of the X zone is an index of growth and maturation in nulliparous female DDD mice less than one year of age. KEY WORDS: adrenal cortex, age, DDD mouse, reproduction, X zone morphology.The adrenal cortex of most mammals consists of three zones. These zones play distinct roles in steroid hormone production [11]. The mineral corticoid of the zona glomerulosa regulates Na-K valance. The glucocorticoid of the zona fasciculata regulates multiple physiological metabolisms, and the adrenal androgen is mainly produced in the zona reticularis (exclude mice and rats [11]). In the mouse, a fourth zone, the X zone, is present in the innermost cortex of the adrenal. Masui and Tamura first described the characteristics of this zone in 1924 [12]. It was named the X zone by Howard-Miller in 1927 [8]. Many studies have shown that degeneration of this zone is induced by pregnancy and lactation [10]. Furthermore, in the absence of pregnancy, X zone degeneration is induced by the administration of androgen [6]. In male mice, degeneration of the X zone is induced by sexual maturation [3]; and regeneration of a second X zone is induced by castration of adult mice or androgen administration [4,7]. Thus, the endocrinological characteristics of these four adrenocortical zones are well known. But, little studies have been conducted on agerelated changes in the morphology of these adrenocortical zones [1].Strain differences in the morphology of X zone degeneration have been observed between A/Cam and CBA/FaCam mice [15], C57BL/6By and BALB/cBy mice [8], C57BL/ 6JJms and DDD mice [18], and A/J and SM/J mice [19,20].The main differences between strains involve the extent of vacuolation, which is an index of tissue lipid content [15,18,20,24]. Although it was recently reported that the agouti locus affects vacuolation [16,19], no statistical data were provided. As female DDD mice have a thicker and more vacuolated X zone than other strains of mice [18], we considered that the female DDD mice were suitable...

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The X zone of the mouse adrenal cortex of the Swiss albino strain

Cited by 38 publications

References 12 publications

Elevated luteinizing hormone induces expression of its receptor and promotes steroidogenesis in the adrenal cortex

Elevated luteinizing hormone induces expression of its receptor and promotes steroidogenesis in the adrenal cortex

Growth analysis of the mouse adrenal gland from weaning to adulthood: time- and gender-dependent alterations of cell size and number in the cortical compartment

A Morphometric Study of the Adrenal Cortex of the Female DDD Mouse

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