Male rats were fed an 8 % low protein diet for 30 consecutive days beginning at 20
days of age. On day 50, the effect of the diet was evaluated on the hypophyseal-adrenal
axis and the observations compared with those noted in age-matched controls fed a
standard laboratory diet. The malnourished animals had significantly larger adrenal
gland weights, relative to body size, and higher levels of serum corticosterone. Additionally,
the number of ACTH-secreting cells in the pituitary glands of these rats was 63.8
% greater than that present in the controls. These results suggest that ACTH secretion
and adrenocortical physiology are stimulated under conditions of experimentally induced
protein-calorie malnutrition.
Protein-Calorie Malnutrition
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Serum Corticosterone
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Pituitary Immunocytochemistry
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ACTH
