A study of the adrenal cortex in the mouse and its relation to the gonads

Abstract

In 1920 Masui and Tamura published a study of the adrenals of mice (20), and drew attention to the larger size of the female adrenal as compared with that of the male. They state that this is due to the degree of development of the zona reticularis, which is reduced to a few cells in the male, but may be of considerable size in the female. The extent of the zone in the female, however, varies greatly; it disappears almost entirely in old animals. After cestration, the zona reticularis grows in the male and the gland tends to reach the female size; ovariotomy has no effect on the adrenal. The statement is made (p. 373), that "the size of the adrenals shows a considerable difference according to various periods of the œstrous cycle, and this variation in size is due to the structural difference of this gland." During pregnancy and lactation the glands are said to diminish in size, but the weights are not given. Shortly afterwards Tamura published a further paper (25), on structural changes in the adrenal during pregnancy. He states that the gland becomes reduced in area owing to the degeneration of zona reticularis before the formation of the placenta; the two outer zones of the cortex increase in size during pregnancy, as does the medulla.