Adrenal Cortex

Background The adrenal cortex produces three types of steroid hormones: mineralocorticoids, which regulate sodium and water balance; glucocorticoids, which stimulate glucose production and suppress immune function; and adrenal androgens, which influence sexual differentiation. All three types of adrenocortical steroids are synthesized from cholesterol, but regulation of production and secretion of the hormones involves several biosignaling mechanisms, some of which are unique to a particular hormone, and others that affect multiple biosynthetic pathways. Content Disorders of adrenocortical hormones can result from mutations causing deficiency in the enzymes that synthesize them, overproduction by hormone-secreting neoplasms, or impaired function due to inadequate tissue response to hormone activity. Laboratory assessment of adrenocortical dysfunction often involves multiple tests that measure responsiveness to the biochemical signals that normally regulate the production and secretion of steroid hormones.