THE EFFECT OF STRESS UPON THE KETOSTEROID AND NON-CARBONYL LIPOID CONTENT OF THE ADRENAL CORTEX OF THE RAT

Abstract

CHANGES in the chemical content and structural pattern of the adrenal cortex following various forms of stress have been reported (Dalton, 1944; Sayers, 1945; Dempsey, 1946; Deane, 1946; Deane, 1947; Long, 1947; Tepperman, 1947; Greep, 1949; Greep, 1950). The significance of these changes and in particular the relation of the chemical to the structural variations is in some respects obscure. There is general agreement that the rate of ketosteroid secretion and fluctuations in lipoid and ascorbic acid content of the adrenal are involved in the reaction to stress.

In the experiments reported below we present data: (1), comparing the normal adrenal with the adrenal of the animal under stress in content and distribution of ketosteroid, as demonstrated morphologically by a stain which is specific for carbonyl groups (Ashbel, 1949) and in the adrenal has been shown to demonstrate ketosteroid (Seligman, 1951; Ashbel, 1951); (2), on the relationship of non-carbonyl containing lipoid to keto-steroid; (3)