Pathology Associated with Hormones of Adrenal Cortex

Abstract

Adrenal gland is an endocrine organ comprising of an outer cortex and inner medulla. These secrete various hormones that have a vital role in maintaining the normal homeostasis of the body. Lesions of adrenal cortex are quite common to encounter and most of these are related to the hormones secreted by three layers of adrenal cortex: the zona glomerulosa, the zona fasciculata, and the zona reticularis. Also it is very infrequent to encounter metastatic lesions in the adrenal glands too. So it is very important as a part of a clinician as well as a pathologist to know the pattern in which these hormones are secreted along with their physiological roles. Thus this chapter includes the disease that are related to excess as well as deficiencies of the hormones secreted by adrenal cortex. The chapter also includes various genetic syndromes that are associated with the disorders associated with hormones of adrenal cortex. The last part of the chapter includes a brief description of various benign as well as malignant lesions, the pathological as well as the etiological aspects and the hormonal abnormalities associated. This chapter thus mainly focuses on the pathology associated with the adrenal cortex and hormones secreted by the various layers of adrenal cortex.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones

“…Over 50 different steroids, including precursors to other steroid hormones, are secreted by the adrenal glands, which are located directly above the kidneys. Aldosterone and hydrocortisone, however, which are the most significant hormonal steroids produced by the adrenal cortex, are only used to treat Addison's disease [1]. An 11-OH and an 18-CHO in the naturally occurring hormone aldosterone naturally bridge to form a hemiacetal.…”

“…Because aldosterone is too expensive to produce commercially, other semisynthetic analogues are now used to treat Addison's disease instead [1].…”

Preparation of highly reflective silver metallized PVC film by autocatalytic deposition

“…have poor adhesion properties with polymers, so surface modification pretreatments are needed to enhance the adhesion behavior between metals and polymer substrates. 18,19 These pretreatments generally require vacuum conditions or high voltages, which further restrict development and application of metallized polymer films. 20 Additionally, many researchers have prepared metallized polymer films by heating positive metal ions and polymer solutions to stimulate the reduction of metal ions.…”

“…However, many passive metals (such as gold, copper and palladium, etc.) have poor adhesion properties with polymers, so surface modification pretreatments are needed to enhance the adhesion behavior between metals and polymer substrates 18,19 . These pretreatments generally require vacuum conditions or high voltages, which further restrict development and application of metallized polymer films 20 .…”