Histological Study of the Adrenal Gland of
African White Rhinoceros
Ke-mei Peng*†, Hui Song†,
Hua-zhen Liu, Jian-bin Zhang1, Zhi-qiang Lu, Zhi-wei Liu
and Yin-xue Liu
College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong
Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China; †These authors contributed equally to this study
*Corresponding author: km.peng@yahoo.com; pengkm@mail.hzau.edu.cn
Abstract
The microstructures of adrenal gland of White
Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) were
observed by light microscopy. The results showed that the surface envelope of
adrenal gland was covered with developed connective tissues whose average
thickness was up to 210 μm. A large number of sinusoids were distributed between
the neighboring cells. The zona glomerulose of adrenal cortex was thin and
composed of columnar and cubic cells. The columnar cells were close to the edge
and the cubic cells were found in the deep zone. The two kinds of cells were
arranged in irregular groups. The thickness of zona fasiculata was about 3 times
as much as that of zona glomerulose, and the boundary was not obvious. Cells
were arranged in irregular cords. Some small lipid droplets were in the shape of
small vacuolation, and distributed in the cytoplasm. The cells of zona
reticularis were adjacent to medulla with which they formed a jagged boundary.
Cells were in network or in enclose acini. Medullae were darkly stained and
clearly distinct from the cortex. Cells were large with elliptical nuclei whose
nucleoluses were significant. Cytoplasm was basophilic and stained to give blue
violet appearance. A small amount of sympathetic ganglion cells were distributed
in the medulla. The above results suggested that the adrenal gland structures of
African white rhinoceros compared with other animals have similarities. . The
rich sinusoids in capsule suggested that its blood supply was abundant, full of
metabolism and endocrine activity.
Key words:
Adrenal gland,
African White Rhinoceros, Histology