adrenal glands

adrenal glands
two triangular endocrine gland, each of which covers the superior surface of a kidney. Each gland has two parts, the medulla and cortex. The medulla forms the grey core of the gland; it consists mainly of chromaffin tissue and is stimulated by the sympathetic nervous system to produce adrenaline and noradrenaline. The cortex is a yellowish tissue surrounding the medulla. It is derived embryologically from mesoderm and is stimulated by pituitary hormones (principally ACTH) to produce three kinds of corticosteroid hormones, which affect carbohydrate metabolism (e.g. cortisol), electrolyte metabolism (e.g. aldosterone), and the sex glands (oestrogens and androgens).

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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