Experimental study on adrenal autografts in rats to preserve normal adrenocortical function after bilateral adrenalectomy.

In order to establish a technique for successful adrenal tissue autotransplantation, we conducted an experimental study with rats, in which we investigated the effects of the total amount of grafted tissue and the size of each graft piece. Three 'amount' factor levels (1/4 of a gland and 1 and 2 glands) and two 'size' factor levels (1-mm3 fragments and a paste-like mince) were studied. The total amount of grafted adrenal tissue affected the amount of steroid secreted. Autografting of 1/4 of a gland resulted in corticosterone secretion at the normal basal level, but grafting of more than 1 gland enabled the rats to withstand stress better. The take of the grafts with the two different size levels did not differ.