Morphofunctional alterations of the adrenal cortex of sexually mature rats under prolonged exposure to heavy metal salts

Abstract

The salts of heavy metals negatively affect the health of the population and cause the development of the pathology of individual organs and systems of the body. Adrenal hormones are one of the key places in regulating and maintaining the basic functions of the body. The aim of the study — the study of morphological rearrangements of the structural components of the adrenal cortex of sexually mature male rats under conditions of prolonged exposure to the combination of heavy metal salts remains relevant and insufficiently studied. The experiment was conducted on 12 animals weighing 250–300 g, aged 7–8 months. Animals of the experimental group used for 90 days the usual drinking water, saturated with a combination of heavy metal salts. Commonly used histological methods of research were used. Long-term admission into the body of sexually-mature rats of a combination of heavy metal salts leads to morphological rearrangements of the stroma, vascular bed, morphology and secretory activity of cells of the adrenal gland, mainly zona fasciculata and zona reticularis. Development in spongy sacs of lipid vacuolar and granular degeneration indicates a weakening of steroidogenesis, which negatively affects the development of compensatory and adaptive processes in the body and the general adaptation syndrome in response to the action of the damaging agent. So, adaptive-compensatory processes in the adrenal cortex with signs of reduced functional activity, characteristic for the initial stages of depletion of the general adaptive syndrome. Prospects for further development are based on conducting studies of adrenal rats in conditions of reparative changes after long periods of influence of the combination of heavy metal salts on the body.