Morphofunctional characteristics of pituitary adrenocorticotropes in an animal model of heat stress

As a result of the global warming, the average ambient temperature during summertime has increased in regions with moderate continental climate. The effects of 24 h exposure to heat stress (35±1 °C) on the morphology and function of pituitary adrenocorti cotropes were examined in adult male Wistar rats. Significant changes in the morphofunctional features of adrenocorti cotropes were found after the heat stress, with no differences noted in the cell shape or localization, com pared to controls. The adrenocorti cotropes cell volume, as well as the volume density, were significantly decreased (p<0.05) by 12.3% and 26.7%, respectively, in comparison with controls. The concentration of plasma adrenocorti cotropic hormone and serum corticosterone in the heat stressed group were significantly decreased (p<0.05) by 21.9% and 27.2%, respectively, compared to controls. These findings suggest that 24 h exposure of adult male rats to heat stress has an inhibitory effect on the morphofunctional characteristics of adrenocorticotropes.Usled globalnog otopljavanja u regionima sa umereno kontinentalnom klimom dolazi do povećanja srednje vrednosti temperature vazduha to kom letnjih meseci. U ovoj studiji ispitivani su efekti 24-časovnog izlaganja to plotnom stresu (35±1 °C) na morfologiju i funkciju hipofiznih adrenokortikotropa kod odraslih pacova Wistar soja. Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju na značajne promene u morfofunkcionalnim osobinama adrenokortiko tropa nakon izlaganja toplotnom stresu, bez uočenih razlika u obliku i lokalizaciji ćelija u poređenju sa kontrolama. Volumen adrenokortikotropa kao i njihova volumenska gustina bili su značajno smanjeni (p