Zonation of steroidogenesis

In the adrenal cortex, the outermost zona glomerulosa secretes the mineralocorticoid aldosterone, and corticosterone. The middle zona fasciculata and the inner zona reticularis secrete predominately the glucocorticoids cortisol and corticosterone. In the human, the inner zona reticularis secretes large amounts of the adrenal androgens, DHEA and DHEAS, as well as cortisol [12]. Whereas steroidogenesis in the 

The relative levels of the enzymes expressed by the individual adrenocortical cell determine the series of hydroxylation steps that occurs and the ultimate steroid that is produced. Thus, the rate of production of a given adrenocortical steroid is determined by the product of 

The rate of total steroidogenesis is determined by the rate of supply of cholesterol to cytochrome P-450scc. The rate of flux through this step determines the rate of synthesis of the sum of the steroid products, but does not determine the rate of synthesis of any individual steroid. The pattern of steroidogenesis, i.e. which steroids are produced and in what ratio, is determined by the relative activities of the enzymes of the steroidogenic pathway beyond the formation of pregnenolone. 

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