Adrenal Cortex

That section releases:

aldosterone

cortisol

dehydroepiandrosterone

adrenosterone

The adrenal cortex regulates renal function in a number of important ways; indeed, normal renal function cannot be understood without recognition of such regulation. Well-recognized examples of such regulation are the control of body fluid tonicity through regulation of urinary solute concentration-a function controlled "primarily" by vasopressin, but secondarily and importantly by the adrenal cortex-and control of body sodium-a function controlled primarily by renal tubular sodium reabsorption but regulated by sodium-retaining steroids.

The kidney can regulate adrenal function by changing reabsorption of sodium and secretion of potassium, and also by release of renin. The primary target of such regulation is the secretion of aldosterone, which may be influenced by body fluid volume, potassium ion and angiotensin II.

Because of these interrelationships, the pathophysiology of certain disease states may be described as aberrations in feedback loops between adrenal cortex and kidney. In this paper we will consider this "system" in some detail, and attempt to explain four disorders as examples of errors in control.