THE EFFECTS OF ADRENALECTOMY ON THE ELECTROLYTE COMPOSITION OF THE SKIN OF THE RAT

Abstract

Adult male albino rats were adrenalectomized and 6 days later their extracellular fluid vol. (SCN space), skin and muscle Na, K, and Cl were detd. and compared with comparable controls. Ten rats were in each group. Total skin Na and extracellular fluid vol. were reduced equivalent amts.; in muscle the reduction of Na was greater than the extracellular fluid volume. K increased in both skin and muscle (presumably because of altered intracellular constituents.) Intracellular water increased. Cl changes were explained on the basis of changing extracellular fluid vol.