Neonatal and adult adrenal cortex: intercellular permeability to nickel nitrate.

R S Piezzi, L Gutiérrez, T Fogal

Index: Tissue Cell 22(5) , 697-704, (1990)

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Abstract

The intravascular perfusion of nickel nitrate-glutaraldehyde showed a free penetration into neonatal and adult adrenal cortex. Tracer deposits were found surrounding the cortical cells without interruption; they formed a permeate network of intercommunicated intercellular spaces in connection with the vessels. No penetration of the tracer was observed between the chromaffin cells of the medulla. During the first day after birth, canalicular structures appeared among the cortical cells. In the adrenals of 4 and 7-day-old rats the lateral contacts between adjacent cells were more extensive. In 10-day-old rats nickel delimited the cellular profile, revealing numerous infolded cellular membranes. Gap and septate-like junctions were present. In the adult rats the structure of the cell membrane was unfolded. The observations made in adrenal cortex of 10 and 90-day-old rats perfused with lanthanum hydroxide were similar to those on nickel-treated material. The structural characteristics of this network of intercommunicated spaces and the attachments between cortical cells change during neonatal development, probably favoring cell interactions.