Effect of fasting on the distribution of immune cells in the mouse adrenal
Publication Date
July 2019
Location
LSU Health Medical Education Building
Document Type
Abstract
Start Date
26-7-2019 9:00 AM
End Date
26-7-2019 12:00 PM
Description
The adrenal gland is a (neuro) endocrine gland located above the kidney that releases hormones that maintain homeostasis including the control of blood glucose levels. The adrenal gland has two regions, the outer adrenal cortex and the inner adrenal medulla. The cortex produces steroid hormones including corticosterone, and the medulla produces the catecholamine hormones, epinephrine and norepinephrine. These hormones are released during the fight-or-flight response to stress, particularly when the levels of blood glucose fall (such as during fasting). The adrenal gland also contains a diverse population of immune cells but whether these are involved in the function of the adrenal during the fight-or-flight response is not known. The aim of this project was to test the hypothesis that activation of the adrenal gland during fasting would lead to a local change in the number or distribution of adrenal immune cells. To test this idea we compared the location of CD45-immunoreactive cells in the adrenals of mice that were fed or fasted for 24 hrs. At the end of the experimental protocol the mice were euthanized, the adrenals were removed and fixed in paraformaldehyde. Then cryosections were made and processed for immunohistochemistry. Immune cells were stained with a rat anti-CD45 antibody (that labels all hematopoietic cells except erythrocytes and platelets). Preliminary results indicate that there was no difference in the number of immune cells between the fed and fasted mice.
Recommended Citation
Williams, Andrew B., "Effect of fasting on the distribution of immune cells in the mouse adrenal" (2019). Summer Research Internship Program. 8.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/srip/2019/hs/8
Effect of fasting on the distribution of immune cells in the mouse adrenal
LSU Health Medical Education Building
The adrenal gland is a (neuro) endocrine gland located above the kidney that releases hormones that maintain homeostasis including the control of blood glucose levels. The adrenal gland has two regions, the outer adrenal cortex and the inner adrenal medulla. The cortex produces steroid hormones including corticosterone, and the medulla produces the catecholamine hormones, epinephrine and norepinephrine. These hormones are released during the fight-or-flight response to stress, particularly when the levels of blood glucose fall (such as during fasting). The adrenal gland also contains a diverse population of immune cells but whether these are involved in the function of the adrenal during the fight-or-flight response is not known. The aim of this project was to test the hypothesis that activation of the adrenal gland during fasting would lead to a local change in the number or distribution of adrenal immune cells. To test this idea we compared the location of CD45-immunoreactive cells in the adrenals of mice that were fed or fasted for 24 hrs. At the end of the experimental protocol the mice were euthanized, the adrenals were removed and fixed in paraformaldehyde. Then cryosections were made and processed for immunohistochemistry. Immune cells were stained with a rat anti-CD45 antibody (that labels all hematopoietic cells except erythrocytes and platelets). Preliminary results indicate that there was no difference in the number of immune cells between the fed and fasted mice.
Comments
Mentor: Matthew Whim, PhD, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy