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Corticosterone
 
 
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Corticosterone is a 21 carbon steroid hormone
Steroid hormone

Steroid hormones are steroids that act as hormones. Steroid hormones can be grouped into five groups by the receptor s to which they bind: glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, androgens, estrogens, and progestagens....
 of the corticosteroid
Corticosteroid

Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex. Corticosteroids are involved in a wide range of physiology systems such as stress , immune system and regulation of inflammation, carbohydrate metabolism, protein catabolism, blood electrolyte levels, and behavior....
 type produced in the cortex of the adrenal gland
Adrenal gland

In mammals, the adrenal glands are the star-shaped endocrine glands that sit on top of the kidneys; their name indicates that position . They are chiefly responsible for regulating the stress response through the biosynthesis of corticosteroids and catecholamines, including cortisol and adrenaline, respectively....
s.

any species, including rodent
Rodent

Rodentia is an Order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing Incisors#The_Rodent_incisor in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
s, corticosterone is the principal glucocorticoid
Glucocorticoid

Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones which bind to the glucocorticoid receptor , which is present in almost every animal cell.GCs are part of the feedback mechanism in the immune system which turns immune activity down....
, involved in regulation of fuel metabolism
Metabolism

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments....
, immune reactions, and stress
Stress (medicine)

Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a human or animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or body threats to the organism, whether actual or imagined....
 responses.

However, in humans, corticosterone is produced primarily in the zona fasciculata
Zona fasciculata

Cells of the zona fasciculata sit directly beneath the zona glomerulosa and are organized in bundles .The zona chiefly produces glucocorticoids and a small amount of weak androgens .Adrenal tumour of the zona fasciculata may lead to primary adrenocortical hypersecretion....
 of the adrenal cortex
Adrenal cortex

Situated along the perimeter of the adrenal gland, the adrenal cortex mediates the stress response through the production of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, including aldosterone and cortisol respectively....
. It has only weak glucocorticoid
Glucocorticoid

Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones which bind to the glucocorticoid receptor , which is present in almost every animal cell.GCs are part of the feedback mechanism in the immune system which turns immune activity down....
 and mineralocorticoid
Mineralocorticoid

Mineralocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones characterised by their similarity to aldosterone and their influence on salt balance and water balance ....
 potencies in humans and is important mainly as an intermediate in the steroidogenic pathway from pregnenolone
Pregnenolone

Pregnenolone is a steroid hormone involved in the steroidogenesis of progesterone, mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, androgens, and estrogens....
 to aldosterone
Aldosterone

Aldosterone is a hormone that increases the reabsorption of sodium and water and the release of potassium in the kidneys. This increases the volume of fluid in the body, and drives blood pressure up....
.






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Corticosterone is a 21 carbon steroid hormone
Steroid hormone

Steroid hormones are steroids that act as hormones. Steroid hormones can be grouped into five groups by the receptor s to which they bind: glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, androgens, estrogens, and progestagens....
 of the corticosteroid
Corticosteroid

Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex. Corticosteroids are involved in a wide range of physiology systems such as stress , immune system and regulation of inflammation, carbohydrate metabolism, protein catabolism, blood electrolyte levels, and behavior....
 type produced in the cortex of the adrenal gland
Adrenal gland

In mammals, the adrenal glands are the star-shaped endocrine glands that sit on top of the kidneys; their name indicates that position . They are chiefly responsible for regulating the stress response through the biosynthesis of corticosteroids and catecholamines, including cortisol and adrenaline, respectively....
s.

Roles

In many species, including rodent
Rodent

Rodentia is an Order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing Incisors#The_Rodent_incisor in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
s, corticosterone is the principal glucocorticoid
Glucocorticoid

Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones which bind to the glucocorticoid receptor , which is present in almost every animal cell.GCs are part of the feedback mechanism in the immune system which turns immune activity down....
, involved in regulation of fuel metabolism
Metabolism

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments....
, immune reactions, and stress
Stress (medicine)

Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a human or animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or body threats to the organism, whether actual or imagined....
 responses.

However, in humans, corticosterone is produced primarily in the zona fasciculata
Zona fasciculata

Cells of the zona fasciculata sit directly beneath the zona glomerulosa and are organized in bundles .The zona chiefly produces glucocorticoids and a small amount of weak androgens .Adrenal tumour of the zona fasciculata may lead to primary adrenocortical hypersecretion....
 of the adrenal cortex
Adrenal cortex

Situated along the perimeter of the adrenal gland, the adrenal cortex mediates the stress response through the production of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, including aldosterone and cortisol respectively....
. It has only weak glucocorticoid
Glucocorticoid

Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones which bind to the glucocorticoid receptor , which is present in almost every animal cell.GCs are part of the feedback mechanism in the immune system which turns immune activity down....
 and mineralocorticoid
Mineralocorticoid

Mineralocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones characterised by their similarity to aldosterone and their influence on salt balance and water balance ....
 potencies in humans and is important mainly as an intermediate in the steroidogenic pathway from pregnenolone
Pregnenolone

Pregnenolone is a steroid hormone involved in the steroidogenesis of progesterone, mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, androgens, and estrogens....
 to aldosterone
Aldosterone

Aldosterone is a hormone that increases the reabsorption of sodium and water and the release of potassium in the kidneys. This increases the volume of fluid in the body, and drives blood pressure up....
. Corticosterone is converted to aldosterone by aldosterone synthase, found only in the mitochondria of glomerulosa cells. Glomerulosa cells are found in the Zona glomerulosa
Zona glomerulosa

The zona glomerulosa of the adrenal gland is the most superficial layer of the adrenal cortex, lying directly beneath the adrenal gland's capsule....
, which is the most superficial region of endocrine cells in the adrenal cortex
Adrenal cortex

Situated along the perimeter of the adrenal gland, the adrenal cortex mediates the stress response through the production of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, including aldosterone and cortisol respectively....
.

Release or generation mechanisms

One example of a release pathway relates to UV-B stimulation on the skins of certain amphibian
Amphibian

Amphibians , such as frogs, toads, salamanders, newts and caecilians, are cold-blooded animals that metamorphose from a juvenile, water-breathing form to an adult, air-breathing form....
s such as the Rough-skinned Newt
Rough-skinned Newt

The rough-skinned newt is a North American newt known for its strong poison. They are available in some places as pets, sometimes with names "Oregon newt" or "orange-bellied newt." However the "Oregon newt" is more than likely a newt from California that looks similar....
, Taricha granulosa; this trigger seems to cause the internal generation of corticosterone in that species.

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