Bulletin of Medical and Biological Research

Summary. In conditions of peacetime and wars, large areas of burns cause a high probability of fatalities and disability of victims. Important in the course of burn disease in patients with burns is the development of a response to this factor of the endocrine system, in particular the adrenal glands, which play a significant role in metabolic processes. The aim of the study – to establish features of ultrastructural reorganization of endocrinocytes of the adrenal gland cortex in 14 days after the simulated burn injury. Materials and Methods. The experimental thermal injury was simulated on 20 laboratory white male rats. Grade IIB burns were applied under thiopental-sodium anesthesia with copper plates heated in boiled water. The size of the affected area was 18–20 % of the body surface of the animals. Pieces of adrenal gland cortex were taken for electron microscopic examination, further processing was performed according to the conventional method. The study of submicroscopic changes in the organ was carried out in an electron microscope PEM-125K. Results. Electron microscopic studies of the adrenal glands 14 days after the experimental thermal injury showed destructive-degenerative changes in the structure of endocrinocytes in all areas of the adrenal cortex. Endocrinocytes of the zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata of the organ were with the most significant damage in the ultrastructure of the nucleus and cytoplasm. "Dark" endocrine cells were detected containing electron-dense, osmiophilic karyo- and cytoplasm. As well as "light" endocrinocytes, which had large, hypertrophied nuclei, low-electron density cytoplasm with local enlightenment, low-density organelles, the integrity of which was damaged. The zona reticularis of the cortex contained corticocytes of various shapes with a relatively unchanged structure of the nucleus. Membranous organelles were mainly hypertrophied, some of them were vacuolated, in particular, mitochondria and tubules of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The biggest amount of lipid droplets were found in the endocrinocytes of the zona fasciculata, and in the zona reticularis they were absent or single. Conclusions. Under the conditions of the simulated burn injury of the skin, deep damage to the ultrastructure of endocrinocytes of the adrenal gland cortex, mostly endocrinocytes of the zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata, was found. Damage to the nuclei of corticocytes was characterized by the predominance of heterochromatin in the karyoplasm, the expansion of the perinuclear space, the formation of deep intussusception of the karyolema, a decrease in the number of nuclear pores. The cytoplasm of the cells was electron-dense or low-electron density. The submicroscopic organization of the organelles of the energetic and synthetic apparatus of endocrinocytes has undergone significant changes, with a violation of the integrity of their membranes. There was a decrease in the number and electron density of lipid inclusions in corticocytes. The revealed changes of ultrastructural remodeling of endocrine cells of the organ indicate a decrease in their secretory activity and, accordingly, regulatory capacity under the influence of thermal exogenous factor

adrenal gland, submicroscopic changes, burn injury, endocrinocytes