What is the difference between adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla

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Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Written by : Julita. User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. You agree that we have no liability for any damages. Author Recent Posts. Latest posts by Julita see all. Help us improve. Rate this post! Adrenal blog covering adrenal tumors, adrenal cancer, adrenal disease and adrenal surgery, from the expert surgeon-scientists at the Carling Adrenal Center.

What do Adrenal Glands Do? Adrenal glands produce hormones required for healthy life. The adrenal cortex produces hormones that controls sex androgens, estrogens , salt balance in the blood aldosterone , and sugar balance cortisol. The adrenal medulla produces hormones involved in the fight-or-flight response catecholamines, or adrenaline type hormones such as epinephrine and norepinephrine.

We have two adrenal glands located on the top of both kidneys. They are triangular-shaped and about the size and color of a fortune cookie. Each gland consists of a medulla the center of the gland which is surrounded by the cortex. Function of the Adrenal Medulla. The adrenal medulla is responsible for producing catecholamines, or adrenaline type hormones such as epinephrine and norepinephrine.

We have all experienced that sudden panic feeling and anxiety when something happens suddenly and unexpectedly and we get scared. All of a sudden we have tingles and we feel like we need to run away or stand up and fight. This is the "fight-or-flight" symptoms and it is caused by the sudden release of adrenaline from our adrenal glands. Adrenaline as we call it generically can be broken down into two different hormones that the adrenal medulla produces: epinephrine and norepinepherine.

Function of the Adrenal Cortex. The adrenal cortex produces a handful of hormones necessary for fluid and electrolyte salt balance in the body such as cortisol and aldosterone. The adrenal cortex also makes small amounts of sex hormones but this only becomes important if overproduction is present most sex hormones are produced by the testes and ovaries. The three layers of the adrenal cortex are: Microscopic view of the adrenal cortex: The layers of the adrenal gland cortex, zona glomerulosa ZG , fasciculata ZF , and reticularis ZR , responsible to produce aldosterone, cortisol, and sex steroid hormone.

The zona glomerulosa ZG is the most superficial layer of the adrenal cortex and it produces the hormone aldosterone as well as some small amounts of progesterone a sex hormone. The mineralocorticoid aldosterone is produced here. The zona fasciculata ZF is the middle zone of the adrenal cortex, and it primarily produces cortisol.

The zona reticularis ZR is the inner most zone of the adrenal cortex and it is adjacent to the adrenal medulla. Functions of the zona retularis are to store cholesterol for steroidogenesis the making of steroid hormones and the secretion of sex hormones such as estrogen, and testosterone in small amounts. Technical Information for Doctors and Nurses. Moreover, they are important in increasing heart rate, pulse, and blood pressure.

Furthermore, these hormones are responsible for dilating airways in order to raise blood oxygen levels. Adrenal cortex is the outer region of the adrenal gland, and it secretes steroid hormones. On the other hand, adrenal medulla is the inner region of the adrenal gland, and it secretes amine hormones. So, this is the key difference between adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla. Besides, the adrenal cortex secretes aldosteron, cortisol and androgens while adrenal medulla secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine.

The following table summarizes the difference between adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla. Adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla are the two main parts of an adrenal gland. It is the outer region of the adrenal gland composed of three different layers. Adrenal medulla is the inner region composed of chromaffin cells. Adrenal cortex secretes steroid hormones while adrenal medulla secretes amine hormones, especially catecholamines.

So, this is the summary of the difference between adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla. Utiger, Robert D. Samanthi Udayangani holds a B.