Functional differences between the outer and inner zones of the guinea pig adrenal cortex

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1981 · Endocrinology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1210/endo-109-6-2249· OSTI ID:5501443

Strott, C A; Goff, A K; Lyons, C D

The guinea pig adrenal cortex is grossly composed of two regions: an outer, yellow zone and an inner, brown zone. These zones, which represent 33% and 66% of the total adrenocortical volume, respectively, can be separated by blunt dissection. It has been previously reported that specific pregnenolone and pregnenolone sulfate binding proteins are present in the high speed supernatant fraction (cytosol) prepared from the whole adrenal cortex of the guinea pig. However, when cytosol was prepared from the separate outer and inner cortical zones, it was found that the steroid-binding proteins were concentrated in the inner zone. This correlated with the level of pregnenolone which was significantly greater in the cytosol of the inner zone where greater than 50% was found to be bound. In contrast, the concentration of cortisol was 30 times greater in the cytosol of the outer cortical zone and less than 4% was found to be bound. These data suggest that cortisol is produced primarily in the outer cortical zone, a region which comprises only one-third of the total cortical volume. On the other hand, the coexistence of pregnenolone and its binding protein in the inner cortical zone, a region which comprises two-thirds or the greatest cortical volume, indicates a different functional status for this zone. The exact hormonal control of these two vastly different regions (chromatically, morphologically, and functionally) remains to be determined. It is speculated that the inner cortical zone of the adult guinea pig adrenal is the counterpart of the fetal cortex which did not involute.

• Research Organization: Endocrinology and Reproduction Research Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
• OSTI ID: 5501443
• Journal Information: Endocrinology; (United States), Vol. 109:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ADRENAL GLANDS
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
HYDROCORTISONE
HYDROXYPREGNENONE
GUINEA PIGS
PROTEINS
RECEPTORS
SULFATES
ULTRACENTRIFUGATION
ADRENAL HORMONES
ANIMALS
BODY
CENTRIFUGATION
CORTICOSTEROIDS
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
FUNCTIONS
GLANDS
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KETONES
MAMMALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PREGNANES
RODENTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES
551000* - Physiological Systems