12 Facts About Adrenal gland

Each Adrenal gland has an outer cortex which produces steroid hormones and an inner medulla.

Adrenal gland cortex produces three main types of steroid hormones: mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, and androgens.

In humans, the right adrenal gland is pyramidal in shape, whereas the left is semilunar or crescent shaped and somewhat larger.

Each adrenal gland has two distinct parts, each with a unique function, the outer adrenal cortex and the inner medulla, both of which produce hormones.

Adrenal gland medulla is driven by the sympathetic nervous system via preganglionic fibers originating in the thoracic spinal cord, from vertebrae T5–T11.

Adrenal gland produces aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid, which is important in the regulation of salt balance and blood volume.

Layers of the adrenal gland differ by function, with each layer having distinct enzymes that produce different hormones from a common precursor.

The cortex of the adrenal gland is derived from mesoderm, whereas the medulla is derived from the neural crest, which is of ectodermal origin.

Cortical development of the adrenal gland is regulated mostly by ACTH, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates cortisol synthesis.

Adrenal gland medulla is derived from neural crest cells, which come from the ectoderm layer of the embryo.

Adrenal gland tumors are commonly found as incidentalomas, unexpected asymptomatic tumors found during medical imaging.

Adrenal gland carcinomas are very rare, with an incidence of 1 case per million per year.