zona reticularis
Quick Summary
The zona reticularis is a region within the adrenal cortex, the outer part of the adrenal glands. This zone is primarily involved in the production of steroid hormones, specifically androgens, which are sometimes referred to as male hormones or steroids resembling male hormones. In mammals, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary gland regulates the activity of the zona reticularis and the zona fasciculata, influencing the formation of important steroid hormones like glucocorticoids (e.g., cortisol and corticosterone). ACTH does not, however, affect the synthesis of aldosterone, which occurs mainly in the outermost cortical region, the zona glomerulosa.123
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