Full Journal - Journal of Cell and Molecular Biology - Haliç Üniversitesi

determined (Figure 4-5). Furthermore, it was
observed that some of the cells were lost of their
nuclei and the cytoplasm (Figure 5). Damaged nuclei
within follicle lumen and increased fibers within
dispersed stroma were also observed (Figure 4-6).
Discussion
The literature contains numerous references to the
toxic effects of aluminium. However, studies on the
histopathological effects of aluminium on the
endocrine tissues are limited. Waring et al. (1996)
applied lethal and sublethal aluminium doses in
Salmo trutta to investigate the relationship between
aluminium and plasma cortisol concentrations. Also,
it was revealed that the aluminium was found a higher
concentrations in adrenal and parathyroid glands
(Ifl›mer et al., 1998) and that caused to defect of
structure and function in adrenal glands (Aktaç, 2001;
Aktaç et al., 2001b). Waring et al. (1996) obtained
significant increasing plasma T3 and T4
concentrations in sublethally Al-stressed brown trout,
Salmo trutta. In their study, however, they were not
clarified the histopathological effects of aluminium
on the thyroid gland. In the present study, it was
showed that aluminium (in particularly 5 % AlCl3
concentration) caused degenerative changes in
thyroid gland. These changes were irreversible. It was
indicated that increased fibers within dispersed
stroma caused more destructive changes in tissue.
Finally, it was indicated that the exposure to
aluminium for a long time caused degenerative
changes in important endocrine organ such as thyroid.
However, it may be profitable to attempt further
studies to demonstrate the mechanism of the effects of
aluminium in thyroid cells.
References
Aktaç T. Histological changes in adrenal cortex of male
mice fed by aluminium. Univ ‹stanbul Fac Sci Journal
of Biology. 64: 1-7, 2001.
Aktaç T, Hüseyinov G and Kabo¤lu A. The ultrastructural
changes in the mouse liver, depending on the
aluminium. Univ ‹stanbul Fac Sci Journal of Biology.
64: 51-60, 2001a.
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Aluminium effect on thyroid 71
Figure 4: 5% AlCl3 group. Destruction of follicles
(big arrows), damaged nuclei within follicle lumen
(small arrows), bar representes 10 µm.
fi
Figure 5: 5% AlCl3 group. Destruction of follicles
(*) and follicular cells (big arrows), damaged nuclei
within follicle lumen (small arrows), bar representes
10 µm.
Figure 6: 5% AlCl3 group. Dispersed stroma (s), bar
representes 10 µm.
*