Regulation of the Adrenal Cortex Secretory Pattern by Adrenocorticotropin

Abstract

Adrenal gland homogenates from rabbits stimulated for 28 days with adrenocorticotropin have been shown to synthesize cortisol. The total amount of cortisol formed was the same whether progesterone-4-¹⁴C or Δ⁵-pregnenolone-4-¹⁴C was used as exogenous substrate. However, when Δ⁵-pregnenolone substrate was used the specific activity of the isolated cortisol was four times as great as when progesterone was used.