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Synthesis, Storage, and Secretion of Adrenal Medullary Hormones: Physiology and Pathophysiology

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Abstract

The sections in this article are:

1 Phylogeny and Ontogeny of Adrenal Medulla
2 Morphology of Adrenal Medulla
2.1 Types of Chromaffin Cells
2.2 Blood Supply of the Adrenal Gland
2.3 Innervation of the Adrenal Gland
3 Biosynthesis of Catecholamines in Adrenal Medulla and its Regulation
3.1 Tyrosine Hydroxylase
3.2 Aromatic‐L‐Amino Acid Decarboxylase
3.3 Dopamine β‐Hydroxylase
3.4 Phenylethanolamine N‐Methyltransferase
3.5 Activity‐Induced Changes in Enzyme Activity
3.6 Activity‐Induced Changes in Tyrosine Hydroxylase Gene Expression
3.7 Role of Glucocorticoids in Regulation of Phenylethanolamine N‐Methyltransferase
4 Role of Adrenal Catecholamines in Regulation of Adrenal Cortical Function
4.1 Effects of Catecholamines on Adrenocortical Responses to Corticotropin
4.2 Role of Catecholamines in Compensatory Adrenal Growth
5 Neuropeptides Released from Adrenal Chromaffin Cells
6 Regulation of Catecholamine and Neuropeptide Secretion from Adrenal Medulla
7 Adrenal Medullary Responses to Stress
7.1 Ontogeny of Responses
7.2 Adrenomedullary Responses to Stressful Stimuli
7.3 Relation between Adrenal Medullary and Sympathetic Nervous System Responses to Stress
7.4 Physiological Interactions between Adrenal Cortical and Medullary Responses to Stress
7.5 Does the Adrenal Medulla Play a Role in the Activities of Daily Living?
7.6 Are Alterations in Adrenal Medullary Function Involved in the Pathogenesis of Chronic Glucose Intolerance?
8 Release of Catecholamines and Neuropeptides from Chromaffin Tumors
9 Conclusions
Figure 1. Figure 1.

Schematic representation of innervation of adrenal medulla. The various neuronal types that comprise the splanchnic nerve innervating the adrenal medulla. These include: afferent fibers of sensory nerves in dorsal root ganglion; postganglionic sympathetic nerves in paraspinal and suprarenal sympathetic ganglia; preganglionic sympathetic nerves innervating either epinephrine (Epi)—or norepinephrine (NE)—containing chromaffin cells or medullary ganglion cells (GC); and fibers originating from ganglion cells traveling retrograde in splanchnic nerve to an unknown destination. IML refers to the intermediolateral column of the spinal cord from which the preganglionic sympathetic fibers arise.



Figure 1.

Schematic representation of innervation of adrenal medulla. The various neuronal types that comprise the splanchnic nerve innervating the adrenal medulla. These include: afferent fibers of sensory nerves in dorsal root ganglion; postganglionic sympathetic nerves in paraspinal and suprarenal sympathetic ganglia; preganglionic sympathetic nerves innervating either epinephrine (Epi)—or norepinephrine (NE)—containing chromaffin cells or medullary ganglion cells (GC); and fibers originating from ganglion cells traveling retrograde in splanchnic nerve to an unknown destination. IML refers to the intermediolateral column of the spinal cord from which the preganglionic sympathetic fibers arise.

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James B. Young, Lewis Landsberg. Synthesis, Storage, and Secretion of Adrenal Medullary Hormones: Physiology and Pathophysiology. Compr Physiol 2011, Supplement 23: Handbook of Physiology, The Endocrine System, Coping with the Environment: Neural and Endocrine Mechanisms: 3-19. First published in print 2001. doi: 10.1002/cphy.cp070401