title: Failure of the metopirone (Su4885) suppressed fetal adrenal glands to maintain corticosterone concentration of adrenalectomized pregnant rats.
abstract: Plasma corticosterone concentrations were measured following adrenalectomy of pregnant rats on the last day of gestation. Plasma corticosterone concentrations decreased 40 and 60 min after adrenalectomy by 36 and 32%, respectively, and regained the preoperative concentration 2 h following operation. When the fetuses were injected with an inhibitor of 11beta-steroid hydroxylase (Su4885) plasma corticosterone concentrations decreased 40, 60 and 120 min following adrenalectomy by 63, 67 and 71%, respectively. The results strongly suggest that the fetal adrenal glands are the source of plasma corticosterone in adrenalectomized pregnant rats.
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects*; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008797:Metyrapone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003345:Corticosterone; D008797:Metyrapone