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Adrenal glands are located near the anterior poles of the kidneys and consist of cortex and medulla surrounded by a fibrous connective tissue capsule. The medulla is composed of irregular groups of polyhedral cells separated by sinusoids. In humans and most mammals three zones can be distinguished in the cortex, but the cortex of the mouse adrenal gland has only two zones: zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata. The zona glomerulosa is narrow and consists of small cells. The zona fasciculata is wide and contains cells whose cytoplasm appears foamy due to the presence of lipid droplets. The cortex exhibits a unique zone, the X-zone, in young mice. Adrenal glands are larger in female mice than in male mice. Ectopic adrenal glands are common in mice.
The 4X micrograph is a cross section of an adrenal gland of an adult mouse, showing the capsule, the two zones of the cortex, and the medulla. The 10X micrograph offers a closer view of the two cortex zones, zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata, and the medulla. The 20X and 40X micrographs show in detail the foamy cells in the zona fasciculata and the sinusoids in the medulla.
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