Aging of the adrenal gland and its impact on the stress response
This article discusses the physiological and anatomical changes of adrenal gland with age and the effects this has overall on how the organ responds to stress. Physiological changes entail a decrease in adrenocorticoid hormone secretion however cortisol levels remain intact leading to a disruptive stress response. Additionally, loss of zonation of the organ also occurs. Both characteristics in combination with chronic stress affect overall health. Complex interplay between adrenal aging and stress responsiveness is confounded further by the impact they expel on other systems, such as the thyroid hormone. The body undergoes...
Source: Vitamins and Hormones - February 26, 2024 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Andreas Yiallouris Charalampos Filippou Sophia C Themistocleous Katerina Menelaou Vasiliki Kalodimou Charalambos Michaeloudes Elizabeth O Johnson Source Type: research
3D organization of the rat adrenal medulla
Vitam Horm. 2024;124:367-392. doi: 10.1016/bs.vh.2023.06.003. Epub 2023 Nov 10.ABSTRACTWithout knowledge of the spatial [three-dimensional, (3D)] organization of an organ at the tissue and cellular levels, it is impossible to form a complete picture of its structure and function. At the same time, tissue components hidden in the thickness of the organ are the most difficult to study. The rapid development of computer technologies has contributed both to the development and implementation of new methods for studying 3D microstructures of organs, and the improvement of classical ones but the most complete picture can still b...
Source: Vitamins and Hormones - February 26, 2024 Category: Endocrinology Authors: K G Kemoklidze N A Tyumina Source Type: research
Serotonin and the serotonin transporter in the adrenal gland
Vitam Horm. 2024;124:39-78. doi: 10.1016/bs.vh.2023.06.002. Epub 2023 Jul 18.ABSTRACTThe adrenal glands are key components of the mammalian endocrine system, helping maintain physiological homeostasis and the coordinated response to stress. Each adrenal gland has two morphologically and functionally distinct regions, the outer cortex and inner medulla. The cortex is organized into three concentric zones which secrete steroid hormones, including aldosterone and cortisol. Neural crest-derived chromaffin cells in the medulla are innervated by preganglionic sympathetic neurons and secrete catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinep...
Source: Vitamins and Hormones - February 26, 2024 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Mary Beth Bauer Kevin P M Currie Source Type: research
Angiotensin II-dependent aldosterone production in the adrenal cortex
Vitam Horm. 2024;124:393-404. doi: 10.1016/bs.vh.2023.05.001. Epub 2023 Jun 1.ABSTRACTThe adrenal cortex is responsible for production of adrenal steroid hormones and is anatomically divided into three distinct zones: zona glomerulosa secreting mineralocorticoids (mainly aldosterone), zona fasciculata secreting glucocorticoids (cortisol), and zona reticularis producing androgens. Importantly, due to their high lipophilicity, no adrenal steroid hormone (including aldosterone) is stored in vesicles but rather gets synthesized and secreted instantly upon cell stimulation with specific stimuli. Aldosterone is the most potent m...
Source: Vitamins and Hormones - February 26, 2024 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Anastasios Lymperopoulos Jordana I Borges Malka S Suster Source Type: research
A cholesterol-centric outlook on steroidogenesis
Vitam Horm. 2024;124:405-428. doi: 10.1016/bs.vh.2023.05.006. Epub 2023 Sep 12.ABSTRACTCholesterol, an essential and versatile lipid, is the precursor substrate for the biosynthesis of steroid hormones, and a key structural and functional component of organelle membranes in eukaryotic cells. Consequently, the framework of steroidogenesis across main steroidogenic cell types is built around cholesterol, including its cellular uptake, mobilization from intracellular storage, and finally, its transport to the mitochondria where steroidogenesis begins. This setup, which is controlled by different trophic hormones in their resp...
Source: Vitamins and Hormones - February 26, 2024 Category: Endocrinology Authors: Simarjit Kaur Sidhu Suresh Mishra Source Type: research
