Studies on the Effects of Maintenance of Hamster Adrenals in Vitro

Authors

Philip A. Kendall, State University of Iowa
Mona R. Miltzer, State University of Iowa
George R. Zimmerman, State University of Iowa

Document Type

Research

Abstract

Whole adrenals of the young adult hamster were maintained in culture. In most of the experiments the organ was supported on lens paper, but, latterly, cellulose and gelatin sponge were used. The culture media employed were (1) Ringer's Solution (no nutrient), and (2) a nutrient mixture consisting of modified Krebs-Ringer's Solution, lactalbumen hydrolysate, yeast extract and horse serum. The maintenance period was up to seven days, and the culture medium was freshened regularly in certain cases. Organs were weighed at the beginning and end, and sometimes during maintenance. Histological appearance at termination was compared with that of a freshly extirpated adrenal. In absence of nutrient, weight remained constant for the first day of culture, decreased over the following two to three days, and then leveled off at about 60 percent of its initial value. By contrast, organs cultured in the nutrient medium showed quite random variations in weight. There appeared to be no correlation between maintenance of weight and histological preservation; in point of fact, all organs which were well preserved after more than one to two days in vitro had lost weight considerably. Histological criteria are discussed.

Publication Date

1959

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

66

Issue

1

First Page

413

Last Page

425

Copyright

©1959 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Kendall, Philip A.; Miltzer, Mona R.; and Zimmerman, George R. (1959) "Studies on the Effects of Maintenance of Hamster Adrenals in Vitro," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 66(1), 413-425.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol66/iss1/58