The reticular zone of the rat adrenal gland 60 days after exposure to a chemical fertilizer.

The author examined the adrenal glands of rats that were kept in a workshop of an NPK fertilizer factory for 30 days and then for 60 days in the laboratory. Histochemical examination of the reticular zone revealed an increase in neutral lipids and triglycerides and a decrease in phospholipids. The nucleic acid content, predominantly RNA, was enhanced. Although the acid phosphatase activity was slightly lowered, both succinate dehydrogenase and monoamine oxidase activities were increased. The results indicate that exposure of rats to NPK fertilizer had a stimulating effect on the reticular zone of their adrenal glands.