adrenal

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1. At, near, or on the kidneys.
2. Of or relating to the adrenal glands or their secretions.

An adrenal gland or tissue.

1. pertaining to or produced by the adrenal glands.
2. the adrenal gland itself.

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.