Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Primary Culture of Rat Adrenocortical Cells and Assays of Steroidogenic Functions
Published on: March 12, 2019
Enzymes involved in arachidonic acid release in adrenal and Leydig cells
P Maloberti1, F Cornejo Maciel, A F Castillo
1Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Paraguay 2155, 5 degrees (C1121ABG), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Abstract:
Stimulation of receptors and subsequent signal transduction results in the activation of arachidonic acid (AA) release. Once AA is released from phospholipids or others esters, it may be metabolized via the cycloxygenase or the lipoxygenase pathways. How the cells drive AA to these pathways is not elucidated yet. It is reasonable to speculate that each pathway will have different sources of free AA triggered by different signal transduction pathways. Several reports have shown that AA and its lipoxygenase-catalyzed metabolites play essential roles in the regulation of steroidogenesis by influencing cholesterol transport from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane, the rate-limiting step in steroid hormone biosynthesis. Signals that stimulate steroidogenesis also cause the release of AA from phospholipids or other esters by mechanisms that are not fully understood. This review focuses on the enzymes of AA release that impact on steroidogenesis.
Related Concept Videos
Hormones of the Adrenal Glands
The adrenal cortex, a powerhouse of hormone synthesis, generates over two dozen corticosteroid hormones. The zona glomerulosa produces mineralocorticoids, exemplified by aldosterone, influencing the electrolyte composition of body fluids. The synthesis of glucocorticoids such as cortisol and corticosterone...
Anatomy of the Adrenal Glands
These glands possess a distinctive yellow tinge due to the stored cholesterol and fatty acids required for hormone synthesis. They are encased in a fibrous capsule and cushioned by fat.
The adrenal gland comprises two distinct regions...
cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase Pathways
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis
GPCRs Regulate Adenylyl Cylase Activity
Two...
Adrenergic Receptors: β Subtype
Isoprenaline > Adrenaline > Noradrenaline
Neurotransmitter binding to these receptors causes activation of adenylyl cyclase resulting in increased concentrations of cAMP and modulation of calcium ion channels within the cell. They are further classified into β1, β2, and β3 subtypes.
β1-adrenoceptors: β1-adrenoceptors have equal affinities for...

