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adrenal

 
Dictionary: ad·re·nal   (ə-drē'nəl) pronunciation
adj.
  1. At, near, or on the kidneys.
  2. Of or relating to the adrenal glands or their secretions.
n.
An adrenal gland.

[AD- + RENAL.]

adrenally ad·re'nal·ly adv.

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Medical Dictionary: ad·re·nal
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(ə-drē'nəl)
adj.
  1. At, near, or on the kidneys.
  2. Of or relating to the adrenal glands or their secretions.
n.

An adrenal gland or tissue.

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

  • a. 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.
  • a. cortex inhibitors — see adrenolytic.
  • a.-cortical — see adrenocortical.
  • a. cortical dysfunction — see hyperadrenocorticism, hypoadrenocorticism.
  • a. corticoids — see mineralocorticoid, glucocorticoid, corticosteroid.
  • a. function tests — see acth response test, dexamethasone suppression test, v-test.
  • a. 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.
  • a. 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.
  • a. 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.
  • a. steroids — cortisol, corticosterone, cortisone, 11-dehydroxycortisone, desoxycorticosterone, 17-hydroxy-11-desoxycorticosterone, aldosterone, the adrenal corticoids from the adrenal cortex. Called also corticosteroids.
WordNet: adrenal
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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: either of a pair of complex endocrine glands situated near the kidney
  Synonyms: adrenal gland, suprarenal gland


The adjective adrenal has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: of or pertaining to the adrenal glands or their secretions
  Pertains to noun: adrenal gland (meaning #1)

Meaning #2: near the kidneys
  Pertains to noun: kidney (meaning #1)


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Medical Dictionary. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.  Read more