Histological and Histochmical Study of Postnatal Development of Adrenal Cortex of Albino Rat and the Effect of Certain Antihypertensive Drug on the Cortex of the Adult Group

Abstract

The adrenal glands are paired flattened yellow masses that lie m contact with superomedial border of the kidneys. The adrenal glands are embedded in adipose tissue at the cranial pole of each kidney. They are relatively flat triangular organs. The cortex and medulla are both endocrine glands but they differ in their embryological origin and in their functions. The cortex is of mesodennal origin, whereas the medulla arises from the • ectoderm of the embryonic neural crest. The adrenal cortex is formed of outer zona glomerulosa immediately beneath the capsule, thin zona intermedia, broad zona fasiculata, and inner most zona reticularis Material and Methods 30 albino rats of different ages were utilized in this study. Their ages ranging from (one day, one week, two weeks, one month and three months). Captopril was given to the three months age group daily orally in a dose of I 0 mg/kgm/ body weight.