CORTICOSTEROID SYNTHESIS IN VITRO BY ADRENAL TISSUE FROM NEWBORN ANENCEPHALIC INFANTS

Abstract
Adrenal tissue from newborn anencephalic infants converted pregnenolone and progesterone to cortisol, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, corticosterone, 17α,21-dihydroxyprogesterone, deoxycorticosterone and 1 1β-hydroxyprogesterone in vitro. These metabolites were identified by recrystallization to constant specific activity after multiple chromatography and derivative formation. The results demonstrate a potential for corticosteroid biosynthesis, at least from pregnenolone and progesterone, by the adrenals of the anencephalic infant, and therefore possibly by the definitive zone of the adrenal of the normal newborn infant.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: