Cytodifferentiation of medullary cells in adrenal gland during prenatal development in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

Abstract

The adrenal glands of 43 buffalo foetuses ranging from 39mm to 890 mm crown-rump length (CRL) were divided into 3 groups, viz. group I (39 mm to 200 mm CRL), group 2 (210 rom to 375 rom CRL) and group 3 (470 m to 890 rom CRL). The adrenal cortex and medulla was fully differentiated by 109 rom CRL stage. However, the medulla was fully differentiated by 109 m.m CRL stage. However, the adrenaline and noradrenaline secreting cells were identified by 210 mrn to 325 mm CRL stages. The large adrenaline secreting (A) cells arranged in follicular forms were seen in the outer zone and the compactly arranged small noradrenaline secreting (NA) cells occupied the inner zone ofthe medulla. The A cells stained brownish purple whereas the NA cells appeared light yellowish by Wood's stain. The former cells showed high chromaffin positive granules. The chromaffin granules stained rose red in formalin fixed tissue and greenish in Orth's fluid fixed tissue by the Giemsa stain method while the latter cells appeared dark green. The potassium iodate method selectively stained the NA cells brown.