Effects of prostaglandin E1 on adrenal medulla chromaffin cells: model for studies of catecholamine release.

The effects of prostaglandin E1(PGE1) on adrenergic mechanisms was studied, using adrenal medulla as a model tissue. Experiments were performed on male albino rats. PGE1 was introduced through the abdominal aorta. The adrenal medulla in the control and experimental animals was dissected and prepared for electronmicroscopic examinations. Catecholamine-containing vesicles in the chromaffin cells were counted and their size estimated. Statistical evaluation of the data showed that PGE1 caused an increase in the size of secretory vesicles and decrease in the total number of full vesicles, the effect being more pronounced on the adrenaline cells as compared to the noradrenaline cells.