ACTH-induced selective death of rat adrenocortical cells in primary culture

ACTH induces increased c-myc expression with the maximum occurring at 2-4 bra during early stages of differentiation in primary cultures of fetal rat adrenals. It is followed by inhibition of DNA synthesis with a maximum at 12 h (1). c-myc is known to be involved in (apoptotic) cell death (2). We have studied the effect of ACTH on the death of undifferentiated fetal rat adrenocortical cells cultivated in the absence of ACTH for at least 21 days.