Secretion of Aldosterone by the Zona Glomerulosa of Rat Adrenal Glands Incubated in Vitro.

Conclusion Rat adrenal glands incubated in vitro release aldosterone at the rate of 0.66 μg/100 mg of tissue per hour. Decapsulated rat adrenal glands secrete only negligible amounts of the hormone. Comparison of aldosterone production between decapsulated rat adrenals and their capsules shows that most of the hormone is secreted by the capsular portion which contains the cells of the zona glomerulosa. These findings are strong evidence that the principal site of aldosterone secretion in the rat adrenal is the zona glomerulosa.