17 alpha-Hydroxylase and chromogranin A in 6th week human fetal adrenals

The development of the human fetal adrenals starts in the 6th week gestational age and adrenal C19 steroid production becomes of major importance for the maintenance of the pregnancy. Therefore, in the present study, human fetal adrenals at 6 weeks of gestational age were immunostained for 17 alpha-hydroxylase, the key enzyme for the production of C19-steroids. In parallel, chromaffin cells were characterized by immunohistochemical staining for chromogranin A, the major soluble protein in adrenal chromaffin granules. Large 17 alpha-hydroxylase-immunoreactive cells were found in the center of the adrenal anlagen during the 6th week of gestation. At the same developmental stage, chromaffin cells with a neuronal-like appearance occurred in the paraortic area and started to invade the adrenal primordium. Our results show that, even at week 6 gestational age, when chromaffin cells start to enter the adrenal anlagen, human adrenals already contain differentiated, 17 alpha-hydroxylase immunoreactive cortical cells which were located to the center of the primordium.