HISTOLOGY

OF
ADRENAL
GLAND
Dr.
Bashir
Ahmed
Shaikh
Professor
of
Anatomy
Hamdard
College
of
Medicine,
HAMDARD
UNIVERSITY
ADRENAL
GLAND
• Paired
adrenal
(suprarenal)
glands
lie
near
superior
poles
of
kidneys,
embedded
in
perirenal
adipose
tissue.
• Flattened
structures,
half-moon
shaped,
4-6
X
1-2
cm,
X
4-6
mm



in
size,
&
about
8
gram
wt.
in



adults
(wt.
&
size
vary
with
once
age).
• Adrenal
glands
are
covered
by
a
dense
C.T
capsule,
that
sends
thin
septa
(trabeculae)
to
the
interior
of
gland.
• Stroma
consists
mainly
of
a
rich
network
of
reticular
fibers.
ADRENAL
GLAND
• The
gland
consists
of
two
concentric
layers:
-
A
yellowish
peripheral
layer,
the
adrenal
cortex,
&













yellowish peripheral -
A
reddish-brown
central
layer,
the
adrenal
medulla.
reddish-brown
• The
two
organs
with
distinct
origins,
functions
&
morphologic
characteristics,
unite
during
embryonic
development.
• Cortex,
mesodermal
&
medulla
derived
from
neural
crest
neural
crest
cells,
which
give
origin
to
sympathetic
ganglion
cells
as
cells,
sympathetic
ganglion
cells

well.
• General
histological
appearance
of
adrenal
gland
is
typical
ADRENAL
GLAND
• Blood
Supply:
Several
arterioles
enter
around
periphery
from
3
groups
of
arterioles:


1. Cortical
arterioles,









supply
capsule
&
form
capillaries
&
sinusoids,
that
irrigate,
all
cells
of
cortex
&
join
medullary
capillaries;
2. Medullary
arterioles,
pass
directly
through
cortex

&
form
extensive
capillary
network
in
the
medulla.
ADRENAL
GLAND
3. Cells
of
adrenal
medulla,
receive
both:





















-
arterial
blood
from

















medullary
arteries
&
















-
venous
blood
from













.

cortical
capillaries.


• Endothelium
of
Capillaries
&
sinusoids
are,
attenuated
&
fenestrated.
Capillaries
of
cortex
&
medulla
form
central
medullary
veins,
that
leave
as
adrenal
or
suprarenal
vein.
 Ultrastructure
of
cortical
adrenalocytes.
ADRENAL
GLAND
• Cells
of
adrenal
cortex
have
features
typical
of
steroid-secreting
cells,
i.e.,
steroid-secreting cells,

-
Central
nuclei,
-
Acidophilic
cytoplasm
rich
in
.








.

lipid
droplets,
Two
adjacent
steroid-secreting
cells
from
zona
-
Profuse
smooth
ER,
of
inter-







.fasciculate
shows:
lipid
droplets
(L)
containing
cholesterol
esters,
connected
tubules,
containing







.mitochondria
(M)
with
tubular
&
vesicular
cristae,

enzymes
for
cholesterol
abundant
smooth
endoplasmic
reticulum
(SER),
&
auto-phagosomes
(A),
which
remove

synthesis
.
&
conversion
of mitochondria
&
SER
b/w
periods
of
active
steroid
synthesis.
Also
seen
are
euchromatic
nuclei
(N),

steroid
pro-










.
hormone a
Golgi
apparatus
(G),
RER
&
lysosomes.
ADRENAL
GLAND



specific
active
steroid
hormones.

-
Mitochondria
are
spherical,
with
tubular
shelf-like
cristae.











-
Mitochondria
along
with
ATP
production
contain
enzymatic






.

equipment
for
converting
cholesterol
to


pregnenolone
&






.

for
some
steps
in
steroid
hormone
synthesis.
• Differentiated
function
of
steroid-producing
cells
results,
from
close
collaboration
b/w
smooth
ER
&
mitochondria.
• Steroid
hormone-secreting
cells
don’t
store
their
product
in
granules.
Low-molecular-weight,
lipid-soluble
ADRENAL
GLAND
• Adrenal
cortex
has
3
zones
of
cords
of
epithelial
cells,
specialized
to


produce
different
classes
of
steroid
hormones:

Adrenal
cortex
&
medulla
are
well
vascularized
with
fenestrated
sinusoidal
capillaries.
Cortical
cells
are
arranged
in
layers:
ADRENAL
GLAND
• Zona
glomerulosa
(15%
of
cortex),
is
inside
columnar
pyramidal
cells
within
capillaries.
 .*
Steroids
made
by
these
cells
(mineralocorticoids)
affect
uptake
of
Na+,
K+,
&
water
by
epithelial
cells.


 .*
Main
product,
aldosterone
(major
regulator
of
salt
balance),
acts
to
stimulate
Na+
reabsorption
in
distal
convoluted
tubules
of
kidneys.
 .*
Aldosterone
secretion
in
zona
glomerulosa
is
stimulated
primarily
by
angiotensin
II
&
also
by
an
↑
in
plasma
K+
conc.,
but
only
weakly
by
ACTH.
ADRENAL
GLAND



















H&E























Mallory
trichrome
• Steroid-secreting
cells
form
3
distinct
layers
surrounding
medulla.
• Adrenals,
stained
with
H&E
(Lt.)
&
Mallory
trichrome
(Rt.),
collagen
appears
blue
(a,
b):
• Zona
glomerulosa,
consists
of

rounded
clusters
of
columnar
cells
principally
secreting
mineralo-
corticoid
aldosterone
(c,
d):
• Zona
fasciculata,
consists
of
long
large,
spongy-looking
cells
mainly
secreting
glucocorticoids
such
as
cortisol.
(e,
f):
• Zona
Reticulosa
cells
are
small,
better
stained,
arranged
in
a
close
network
&
ADRENAL
GLAND
 Zona
fasciculata
(middle
zone)
(65
-
80%
of
cortex),
consist
of
long
cords
of
large
polyhedral
cells,
1-2
cells
thick,
separated
by
fenestrated
sinusoidal
capillaries.
 .*
The
cells
are
most
densely
filled
with
cytoplasmic
lipid


droplets,
during
tissue
preparation,
often
appear
vacuolated
or
spongy.
 .*
Cells
of
this
zone
secrete
glucocorticoids
(cortisol),
which
primarily
affect
carbohydrate
metabolism
by
stimulating
production
of
glucose
from
aminoacids
or
fatty
acids
(gluconeogenesis)
in
many
cells,
&
glucose

ADRENAL
GLAND
*
Cortisol
induces








































































fat
.

mobilization













































































in
subcutaneous
adipose
tissue
&
protein
break-

down
in
muscle.
*
Cortisol
also
↓
many
aspects
of
immune
response,
including
cytokine
release
&
lymphopoiesis,
&
has
other
effects
in
other
tissues.
*
Secretion
of
glucocorticoids
in
zona
fasciculata,
is

ADRENAL
GLAND
proportional
to
conc.
of
circulating
glucocorticoids
is
.

exerted
at
both,
pituitary
&
hypothalamic
levels.
*
Cells
of
zona
fasciculata
also
secrete
small
amounts
of
androgens.


 zona
reticularis
comprises
about

10%
of
cortex,
&
contacts
adrenal
medulla.
*
It
consists
of
smaller
cells
disposed
in
a
network
of
irregular
cords,
interwoven
with
wide
capillaries.
*
Cells
are
more
heavily
stained
than
those
of
other
zones,
bcz.
they
contain
fewer
lipid
droplets
&
more
lipofuscin
ADRENAL
GLAND
 .*
Cells
of
zona
reticularis
also
produce
cortisol,
but
primarily
secrete
weak
androgen
de,hydro-epi,andro,
sterone
(DHEA),
that
is
converted
to
testosterone
in
several
other
tissues.





*
Secretion
by
these
cells
is
also
stimulated
by
ACTH,
&










is
under
feedback
regulation

with
the
pituitary
&
hypothalamus.


THE
END