Effects of maternal bilateral adrenalectomy and betamethasone administration on fetal rat encephalic development.

Abstract

The present study examined the effects of maternal bilateral adrenalectomy and betamethasone treatment on fetal encephalic development, in terms of fetal body weight, brain weight, DNA, protein and lipid content and morphological development. Both influenced the developmental time patterns of fetal brain and cerebellum. Fetuses of adrenalectomized rats had decreased body weights, whereas brain weight was not affected. Maternal adrenalectomy produces in fetal brain a decreased number of cells and increased cell size, while betamethasone treatment of adrenalectomized rats increased cell number, which was not different from control values; cell size remained lower than in control fetuses. Lipid content was increased in the fetuses of betamethasone-treated rats. In terms of morphological development, laminated structures (hippocampus and brain and cerebellar cortex) were the ones most affected.

• Authors: R M Arahuetes, V Carretero, Y Diebold, C Rua
• Journal: Biology of the neonate (Biol Neonate) Vol. 59 Issue 5 Pg. 303-13 ( 1991) ISSN: 0006-3126 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 1873364 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Proteins
• DNA
• Betamethasone

Topics

• Adrenalectomy
• Animals
• Betamethasone (administration & dosage)
• Body Weight (drug effects)
• Brain (drug effects, embryology, physiology)
• Brain Chemistry (drug effects)
• Cell Differentiation (drug effects)
• DNA (drug effects, metabolism)
• Embryonic and Fetal Development (drug effects)
• Female
• Lipid Metabolism
• Male
• Organ Size (drug effects)
• Pregnancy
• Proteins (drug effects, metabolism)
• Rats
• Rats, Inbred Strains