[Caryometric studies on the cortex of the adrenal gland of parathyroidectomized and thyroparathyroidectomized female rats both during and without hormonal substitution (author's transl)].

80 female Wistar rats were either parathyroidectomized or thyroparathyroidectomized and subsequently substituted with one of the following hormone regimes: thyroxine, parathormone, calcitonin, thyroxine + parathormone, or thyroxine + calcitonin. On the fifteenth day following the operation the animals were killed, the adrenals immediately removed, fixed in Bouin's fluid, dehydrated through methylbenzoate and embedded in paraffin. 5 micrometer thick sections were stained with hematoxylin--Organe G--phosphotumgstic acid--Aniline blue (HOPA). From 5 different animals in each experimental group, 200 nuclear diameters were measured in the Zona glomerulosa, Z. Fasciculata, and Z. reticularis. Statistically significant differences (P less than 0.01) were found only in those cases were the hormonal balance between thyroxine, parathormone and calcitonin was disturbed, i.e. in experimental groups receiving one of the above mentioned hormonal regimes following operation. In contrast, no significant difference was attained in nuclear diameter between nonoperated animals and those animals in which all three hormones were lacking, i.e. when a thyroparathyroidectomy was performed.