n.
A corticosteroid, C21H30O4, that functions in the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins.
corticosterone
Dictionary:
cor·ti·cos·ter·one (kôr'tĭ-kŏs'tə-rōn')  |
| 5min Related Video: corticosterone |
| Dental Dictionary: corticosterone |
(kôr′tikōstir′ōn, kôr′tikos′tərōn)
n
Kendall’s compound B
n
Kendall’s compound B
An adrenal corticosteroid hormone necessary for the maintenance of life in adrenalectomized animals; protects against stress, influences muscular efficiency, and influences carbohydrate and electrolyte metabolism.
| Columbia Encyclopedia: corticosterone |
corticosterone (kôr'təkōstĕr'ōn), steroid hormone secreted by the outer layer, or cortex, of the adrenal gland. Classed as a glucocorticoid, corticosterone helps regulate the conversion of amino acids into carbohydrates and glycogen by the liver, and helps stimulate glycogen formation in the tissues. Corticosterone is similar in structure, although somewhat less potent, than the other glucocorticoids cortisol and cortisone. It is produced in response to stimulation by the pituitary substance adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). In some species, but not in humans, corticosterone is the predominant glucocorticoid secreted by the adrenal. It is a precursor in the synthesis of aldosterone, another adrenal cortical steroid.
| Veterinary Dictionary: corticosterone |
A steroid hormone of the adrenal cortex; it is usually classified as a glucocorticoid, but it also has slight mineralocorticoid activity.
| Wikipedia: Corticosterone |
| Corticosterone | |
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| IUPAC name |
(11β)-11,21-dihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione
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| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | 50-22-6  |
| PubChem | 5753 |
| MeSH | Corticosterone |
| SMILES |
OCC(=O)[C@H]1CC[C@H]2
[C@@H]3CCC4=CC(=O)CC [C@]4(C)[C@H]3[C@@H](O)C[C@]12C |
| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | C21H30O4 |
| Molar mass | 346.46 g mol−1 |
| (what is this?) (verify) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) |
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| Infobox references | |
Corticosterone (CORT) is a 21 carbon steroid hormone of the corticosteroid type produced in the cortex of the adrenal glands.
Contents |
Roles
In many species, including amphibians, reptiles, rodents and birds, corticosterone is a main glucocorticoid,[1] involved in regulation of fuel, immune reactions, and stress responses.
However, in humans, corticosterone is produced primarily in the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex. It has only weak glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid potencies in humans and is important mainly as an intermediate in the steroidogenic pathway from pregnenolone to aldosterone. Corticosterone is converted to aldosterone by aldosterone synthase, found only in the mitochondria of glomerulosa cells. Glomerulosa cells are found in the Zona glomerulosa, which is the most superficial region of endocrine cells in the adrenal cortex.
Release or generation mechanisms
One example of a release pathway relates to UV-B stimulation on the skins of certain amphibians such as the Rough-skinned Newt, Taricha granulosa; this trigger seems to cause the internal generation of corticosterone in that species.[2]
References
- ^ "e.hormone | The Hormones : Corticoids". http://e.hormone.tulane.edu/learning/corticoids.html. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
- ^ C. Michael Hogan (2008) Rough-skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa), Globaltwitcher, ed. Nicklas Stromberg [1]
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 | 11-hydroxycorticosteroids |
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 | 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 |
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| Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/. Read more |
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| 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 |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Corticosterone". Read more |
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- What is the primary stimulus for the release of cortisol and corticosterone?
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Mentioned in
- 11-hydroxycorticosteroids
- zona fasciculata (anatomy)
- adrenal corticoid
- Which are the three most important glucocorticoids? (anatomy)
- corticosteroid
- glucocorticoid
- adrenocortical steroid
- Aldosterone
- Which endocrine glands produce which hormones? (anatomy)
- Tadeus Reichstein (Polish–Swiss biochemist)
- hormone (material – in anatomy)
- adrenal
- nitric oxide
- Corticosterone 18-monooxygenase
