Morphological and morphometric analysis of the adrenal cortex of androgenized female rats

Abstract

Aim: We evaluated the thickness of the adrenal cortex zones of female rats androgenized to mimic polycystic ovary syndrome.

Methods: Forty-four female virgin Wistar-Hannover rats were divided into two groups: controls (n = 17) and animals which received testosterone propionate on the 2nd day of life (n = 27). At 90 days of life, after confirmation of persistent estrus, the animals were sacrificed, and the adrenal cortex zones were evaluated. Student's t test and Levene's test were used in the statistical analysis (p < 0.05 considered significant).

Results: The adrenal glands of the androgenized rats were more voluminous and had a more intensely vascularized zona reticularis than the control animals. The mean thicknesses of zona glomerulosa and zona reticularis in the androgenized rats were 58.4 and 730.7 mum, respectively, significantly thicker than the values in the control group (45.0 and 328.3 mum, respectively).

Conclusion: Zona reticularis and zona glomerulosa of the androgenized female rats were significantly thicker than those of the control animals.