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The adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands) are endocrine glands that produce a variety of hormones including adrenaline and the steroids aldosterone and cortisol. [1] [2] They are found above the kidneys. Each gland has an outer cortex which produces steroid hormones and an inner medulla.
The zona fasciculata chiefly produces glucocorticoids (mainly cortisol in humans), which regulate the metabolism of glucose. Glucocorticoid production is stimulated by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) [ 1 ] , which is released from the anterior pituitary , especially in times of stress as part of the fight-or-flight response .
The adrenal cortex is the outer region and also the largest part of the adrenal gland. It is divided into three separate zones: zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata and zona reticularis. Each zone is responsible for producing specific hormones. It is also a secondary site of androgen synthesis. [2]
Cortisol is a steroid hormone in the glucocorticoid class of hormones and a stress hormone. When used as medication, it is known as hydrocortisone . It is produced in many animals, mainly by the zona fasciculata of the adrenal cortex in an adrenal gland . [ 1 ]
The endocrine system is a network of glands and organs located throughout the body. It is similar to the nervous system in that it plays a vital role in controlling and regulating many of the body's functions. Endocrine glands are ductless glands of the endocrine system that secrete their products, hormones, directly into the blood.
The zona glomerulosa is the outermost layer, below the renal capsule (near the pointer) In response to increased potassium levels, renin or decreased blood flow to the kidneys , cells of the zona glomerulosa produce and secrete the mineralocorticoid aldosterone into the blood as part of the renin–angiotensin system . [ 1 ]
The adrenal glands produce important hormones that have specific roles in the homeostasis of the body, which are regulated by other glands. These hormones include aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid that regulates the amount of salt in tissue and body fluids, cortisol, a glucocorticoid that regulates metabolism and usage of macronutrients in the body, and sex hormones, such as androgens and ...
In humans and other animals, the adrenocortical hormones are hormones produced by the adrenal cortex, the outer region of the adrenal gland. These polycyclic steroid hormones have a variety of roles that are crucial for the body's response to stress (for example, the fight-or-flight response ), and they also regulate other functions in the body.