Hormones liberated by adrenal cortex

Question

Specify some of the hormones which are liberated by the adrenal cortex? Specify their respective functions?

Answer 1

The cortical portion of adrenals releases hormones of corticoid or corticosteroid group, which are derived from the cholesterol: mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoid, and cortical sex hormones.The glucocorticoids are the cortisone and cortisol. The glucocorticoids stimulate the formation of glucose from degradation of the proteins of muscle tissue (gluconeogenesis) and so they help in order to increase the glycemia. These hormones perform an important immunosuppressant role, that is, they decrease the action of immune system and due to reason they are used as a medicine to treat the inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and rejection of the transplanted organs. The deoxycorticosterone and mineralocorticoids aldosterone regulate potassium and sodium concentration of the blood and hence they control the level of water of extracellular space. Aldosterone increases the sodium resorption and hence, the water resorption within the renal tubules and it also stimulates the renal excretion of potassium and hydrogen. The adrenal cortical sex hormones are androgens, male sex hormones present within men and women. In men, their main site of generation is testicle and they promote the appearance of the secondary male sex characteristics, such as deep voice, beard and body hair, the male pattern of fat distribution and maturation of the genitalia. If abnormally high within the women they cause inhibited maturation of the female genitalia and disturbances of menstrual cycle.