Corticosteroidogenesis in Vitro: Effects of Parathyroid Hormone, ACTH, and Calcium

Abstract

Isolated rat adrenocortical cells were incubated with bovine parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the absence and presence of ACTH and CaCl2. PTH had no effect on corticosterone production, but CaCl2 induced steroidogenesis in the absence or presence of ACTH. Maximal corticosterone production in the absence of ACTH occurred with 1.25 mM CaCl2 and in the presence of ACTH with 5.00 mM CaCl2. PTH apparently does not directly affect acute corticosterone production by isolated adrenocortical cells. ACTH raises the maximal steroidogenesis inducible by CaCl2.