DIFFERENT BIOLOGICAL ACTION OF CORTICOSTEROIDS, CORTICOSTERONE AND CORTISOL, AS A BASE OF ZONAL FUNCTION OF ADRENAL CORTEX

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Abstract
The effects of corticosterone [B] and cortisol [F] in concentrations attainable in the adrenal gland were studied on ACTH-induced steroidogenesis in cultured cortical cells of fetal human and rat adrenals. B at a concentration of 5.8 .times. 10-5 M clearly inhibited F production (65.5%; P < 0.005) and simultaneously increased androgen production in tissue culture of fetal human adrenals. F at a concentration of 2.8 .times. 10-4 M clearly inhibited 18-OH-DOC [18-hydroxy-deoxycorticosterone] (74.0%; P < 0.001) and aldosterone (83.7%; P < 0.005) production in tissue culture of fetal rat adrenals. In primary culture of fetal human adrenals F did not decrease aldosterone production absolutely, but it significantly decreased the relative amount of aldosterone with respect to B. F did not inhibit B production in either culture. F and B have qualitatively different effects on adrenal steroidogenesis and these steroids may play a basic role in the functional zonation of the adrenal gland.