Abstract
The existence of paracrine control of steroidogenic activity by adrenochromaffin cells in Triturus carnifex was investigated by in vivo noradrenaline (NA) administration. The effects were evaluated by examination of the ultrastructural morphological and morphometrical features of the tissues as well as the serum levels of aldosterone, NA, and adrenaline (A). In March and July, NA administration increased aldosterone release (from 187.23 ± 2.93 pg/ml to 878.31 ± 6.13 pg/ml in March; from 314.60 ± 1.34 pg/ml to 622.51 ± 2.65 pg/ml in July) from steroidogenic cells. The cells showed clear signs of stimulation, as evidenced by a strong reduction of lipid content. Moreover, NA administration decreased the mean total number of secretory vesicles in the chromaffin cells in March (from 7.24 ± 0.18 granules/μ^2^ to 5.57 ± 1.88 granules/μ^2^) and July (from 7.74 ± 0.74 granules/μ^2^ to 6.04 ± 1.13 granules/μ^2^). In March, however, when T. carnifex chromaffin cells contain both catecholamines, NA (3.88 ± 0.13 granules/μ^2^) and A (3.36 ± 0.05 granules/μ^2^) in almost equal quantities, NA administration reduced A content (1.29 ± 1.04 granules/μ^2^) in the chromaffin cells, enhancing adrenaline secretion (from 681.27 ± 1.83 pg/ml to 1527.02 ± 2.11 pg/ml). In July, when the chromaffin cells contain almost exclusively NA granules (NA: 7.42 ± 0.86 granules/μ^2^; A: 0.32 ± 0.13 granules/μ^2^), NA administration reduced the number of NA granules (5.45 ± 1.10 granules/μ^2^), thereby increasing noradrenaline release from the chromaffin cells (from 640.19 ± 1.65 pg/ml to 1217.0 ± 1.14 pg/ml). The results of this study indicate that NA influences the steroidogenic cells, eliciting aldosterone release. Noradrenalin effects on the chromaffin cells, increase of NA or A secretion, according to the period of chromaffin cell functional cycle, may be direct and/or mediated through the steroidogenic cells. The existence of intra‐adrenal paracrine interactions in T. carnifex is discussed. J. Morphol. 259:33–40, 2004. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.