Development of the adrenal axis in the neonatal rat

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5435864· OSTI ID:5435864

Guillet, Ronnie ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States)

Plasma corticosterone and ACTH concentrations were determined in neonatal rats 1, 7, 14, and 21 days old, under a variety of experimental conditions, to obtain more information on the postnatal development of the rat hypothalamo-adrenal (HHA) axis. The results indicate that: (1) there is a diminution followed by an increase in responsiveness of the adrenal gland, but the pituitary response to direct hormonal stimulation is unchanged during the first three postnatal weeks; (2) continued stimulation of the adrenal by ACTH or of the central nervous system (CNS) or hypothalamus by corticosterone is necessary during early postnatal development to allow normal maturation of the HHA axis; and (3) feedback inhibition is operative by birth, at least to a moderate degree. Taken together, the studies suggest that both the adrenal and pituitary glands are potentially functional at birth, but that the hypothalamic and CNS mediators of the stress response are not mature until at least the second or third postnatal week. (ERB)

• Research Organization: Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Dept. of Radiation Biology and Biophysics
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76EV03490
• OSTI ID: 5435864
• Report Number(s): UR--3490-1817
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

551000* -- Physiological Systems
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ACTH
ADRENAL GLANDS
ADRENAL HORMONES
AGE DEPENDENCE
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
BODY
BRAIN
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CORTICOSTEROIDS
CORTICOSTERONE
DATA
DATA FORMS
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GLANDS
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
HYPOTHALAMUS
INFORMATION
ISOLATED VALUES
KETONES
MAMMALS
NEONATES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NUMERICAL DATA
ONTOGENESIS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PEPTIDE HORMONES
PITUITARY GLAND
PITUITARY HORMONES
PREGNANES
RATS
RODENTS
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
VERTEBRATES