11:067:450 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Zona Fasciculata, Zona Glomerulosa, Glucocorticoid Receptor
4 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Understand how cholesterol is converted into pregnenolone (enzyme p450scc) P450c11b converts 11-deoxycortisol into cortisol in the zona fasciculata. Presence if aldosterone synthase allows for the production of aldosterone in the zona glomerulosa. Males have higher levels of androstenedione, females have lower levels. This develops for early masculinization in males and allows for androgen exposure during puberty, especially in males. The expression of androstenedione is also critical in females because it can be converted into estrogen, which allows for early feminization. 17bhsd is the enzyme critical for the conversion from androstenedione to testosterone. Aromatase is present in low levels in the male, but is in high levels in the female. 17 bsd is low in females and high in males (opposite!) There are high amounts of dheas produced in male and females in fetal period. Cortisol is produced in very little amounts during the fetal periods and spikes up at adrenarche and is steady from then on.
