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adrenal cortex

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
cortex /cor·tex/ (kor´teks) pl. cor´tices   [L.] the outer layer of an organ or other structure, as distinguished from its inner substance.cor´tical
adrenal cortex  the outer, firm layer comprising the larger part of the adrenal gland; it secretes many steroid hormones including mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, androgens, 17-ketosteroids, and progestins.
cerebellar cortex , cortex cerebella´ris the superficial gray matter of the cerebellum.
cerebral cortex , cortex cerebra´lis the convoluted layer of gray substance covering each cerebral hemisphere; see archicortex, paleocortex, and neocortex.
cortex len´tis  the softer, external part of the lens of the eye.
motor cortex  see under area.
provisional cortex  the cortex of the fetal adrenal gland that undergoes involution in early fetal life.
renal cortex , cortex re´nis the outer part of the substance of the kidney, composed mainly of glomeruli and convoluted tubules.
striate cortex  the part of the occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex that is the primary receptive area for vision.
cortex of thymus  the outer part of each lobule of the thymus; it consists chiefly of closely packed lymphocytes (thymocytes) and surrounds the medulla.
visual cortex  the area of the occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex concerned with vision.

adrenal cortex
n.
The outer part of the adrenal gland, consisting of the zona glomerulosa, the zona fasciculata, and the zona reticularis and yielding various steroid hormones.

Adrenal cortex
The outer tissue of the adrenal gland. It produces a group of chemically related hormones called corticosteroids that control mineral and water balance in the body and include aldosterone and cortisol.
Mentioned in: Adrenal Gland Scan

adrenal cortex
Etymology: L, ad, to, ren, kidney
the outer and greater portion of the adrenal gland, fused with the gland's medulla. In response to adrenocorticotropic hormone secreted by the adenohypophysis, it secretes cortisol and androgens. Adrenal androgens serve as precursors that are converted by the liver to testosterone and estrogens. Renin from the kidney controls adrenal cortical production of aldosterone. Compare adrenal medulla. adrenocortical, adj.

adrenal cortex (drē´nl kor´teks),
n the greater portion of the adrenal gland fused with the gland's medulla and producing mineralocorticoids, androgens, and glucocorticoids, hormones essential to homeostasis. The outer cortex is normally a deep yellow; the inner part is dark red or brown.

adrenal
1. near the kidney.
2. of or produced by the adrenal glands.
3. an adrenal gland.

adrenal cortex
the outer part of the adrenal gland made up of an external zona glomerulosa, a deeper zona fasciculata and a zona reticularis. It produces three main groups of hormones, the glucocorticoids which are concerned with increasing blood glucose levels, the mineralocorticoids concerned with the maintenance of electrolyte levels in the extracellular fluid, and androgens which have the same masculinizing effect as the hormone testosterone produced by the testis. Called also adrenal gland cortex. See glucocorticoid, mineralocorticoid, androgen.
adrenal cortex inhibitors
adrenal-cortical
adrenal cortical dysfunction
adrenal function tests
see acth response test, dexamethasone suppression test, v-test.
adrenal hyperplasia-like syndrome
a congenital abnormality of adrenal steroidogenesis reported in dogs which results in hyperprogestinism and hyperandrogenism. Clinical signs include bilaterally symmetrical alopecia resembling that seen with other endocrinopathies.
adrenal insufficiency
hypofunction of the adrenal gland, particularly the cortex, leading to signs of weakness and loss of sodium, chloride and water. See also primary hypoadrenocorticism.
adrenal medulla
a glandular extension of the effector fibers of the sympathetic nervous system that releases into the bloodstream the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline). When the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated the adrenal medulla responds also and its hormones are carried via the bloodstream to cause increases in cardiac output and metabolic rate, vasoconstriction and reduction of gastrointestinal peristalsis. The hormones have similar functions but epinephrine is removed from the bloodstream more slowly and has a more prolonged effect. Called also adrenal gland medulla.
Adrenal medullary hormones are not essential to life. Hypersecretion, such as occurs in some functional pheochromocytomas, causes tachycardia, edema and cardiac hypertrophy.
adrenal steroids
cortisol, corticosterone, cortisone, 11-dehydroxycortisone, desoxycorticosterone, 17-hydroxy-11-desoxycorticosterone, aldosterone, the adrenal corticoids from the adrenal cortex. Called also corticosteroids.

cortex
pl. cortices [L.] an outer layer, as the bark of the trunk or root of a tree, or the outer layer of an organ or other structure, as distinguished from its inner substance.

adrenal cortex
the outer, firm layer comprising the larger part of the adrenal gland; it secretes a number of hormones. See corticosteroid, aldosterone, mineralocorticoid, glucocorticoid.
cerebellar cortex
the superficial gray matter of the cerebellum.
cerebral cortex, cortex cerebri
the convoluted layer of gray matter covering each cerebral hemisphere. See also cerebral cortex.
renal cortex
the smooth-textured outer layer of the kidney, composed mainly of renal corpuscles and convoluted tubules, extending in columns between the pyramids.


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? Mentioned in ? References in periodicals archive
 
The endocrine system encompasses the thyroid gland, the hypothalamus, the pancreas, the adrenal cortex, the thyroid, the parathyroid, and the male and female reproductive glands.
Simultaneously adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary gland stimulates the adrenal cortex to release aldosterone and cortisol.
Distribution of an unlicensed injectable preparation, purported to contain adrenal cortex extract contaminated with Mycobacterium abscessus, led to a multistate outbreak of soft-tissue abscesses (11).
 
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