title: Contribution of exogenous progesterone to human adrenal cortisol synthesis in vitro: a comparison of early gestation fetal and adult tissues.
abstract: The ability of human adult adrenal to utilize progesterone (P4) for cortisol (F) synthesis in vitro has been compared with that of fetal adrenal tissue. Explant cultures were studied for 6 days using Ham's F10 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), with or without added P4 as substrate. Short-term (4h) incubations of fresh tissue minces were carried out in Ham's F10, with or without P4, in the absence of FBS. In contrast with the fetal gland, F production by cultured adult tissue was unaffected by addition of P4. During short-term incubations, P4 increased F production 150-fold in the fetal tissue as compared to 2- to 4-fold in the adult. ACTH had no acute effect on the P4 to F conversion in either tissue. These results demonstrate that the fetal adrenal exhibits a greater ability to utilize P4 for F production than the adult adrenal.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone