THE ROLE OF PROGESTERONE IN THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF CORTISOL IN HUMAN ADRENAL TISSUE

Abstract
SUMMARY: The ability of cells from the zona fasciculata and the zona reticularis of the human adrenal cortex to transform labelled pregnenolone and progesterone to cortisol in vitro was investigated. Examination of the 3H:14C ratios of 16α-hydroxyprogesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, 11-deoxycorticosterone and cortisol formed during incubations in vitro suggested that the role of progesterone in the transformation of pregnenolone to cortisol might be a relatively minor one. An attempt was subsequently made to estimate the relative importance of the biosynthetic pathway to cortisol by way of progesterone in hyperplastic adrenal tissue by a mathematical approach.