Chronic angiotensin treatment stimulates the growth and the 11 beta-hydroxylase activity of rat zona fasciculata cells.

Long-term angiotensin-II (AII) administration provokes a time-dependent rise in the volume of zona fasciculata cells and in the plasma concentration of corticosterone in rats treated with dexamethasone and maintenance doses of ACTH. The AII-induced zona fasciculata cell hypertrophy is coupled with comparable increases in the surface area per cell of the mitochondrial cristae and in the activity per cell of 11 beta-hydroxylase. These findings suggest that AII enhances the growth and the steroidogenic capacity of rat adrenal zona fasciculata.