1. Mali Bowers Physiology Fall ‘17 Hormone Presentation
CORTISOL
Mali Bowers
Physiology Fall ‘17
Hormone Presentation

2. Cortisol: C21H30O5 Adrenal Steroid
Sterol ring structure, cholesterol base
Synthetic version: hydrocortisone
Made in the zona fasciculata of adrenal cortex
Glucocortocoid

3. Cortisol as a Glucocortocoid
Glucocortocoid - from the adrenal cortex
Glucocortocoid - zona fasciculata of the cortex
Affects glucose: influences glucose metabolism
Properties:
Anti-inflammatory
Allergy Suppressant
Immuno-suppressant
-Anti-inflammatory
-Allergy Suppressant
-Immune Suppressant
-Released in response to stressors or low blood glucose

4. Cortisol as glucocortocoid (cont.)
Steroid = hormone derived from cholesterol
Hormone = chemical messenger of the body
50 known hormones, produced by many different tissues, glands, organs
Travel in blood and reach every cell
Only affect cells with right receptors

5. Adrenal Hormones ZONA GLOMERULOSA MINERALOCORTOCOIDS*, EG ALDOSTERONE
ZONA FASCIULATA: GLUCOCORTOCOIDS*, EG CORTISOL
ZONA RETICULARIS: ANDROGENS*, EG TESTOSTERONE
MEDULLA: CATECHOLAMINES, EG ADRENALINE

6. How Cortisol is Made

7. Cholesterol (blood)
Zona fasciulata
Pregenolone
17-OH pregenolone
17-OH progesterone
11-deoxycortisol
CORTISOL

8. Immediate Effects of Cortisol
Liberates glucose for immediate use
Metabolic Response
Stimulates gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis in the liver and the muscles
Aids breakdown of proteins into amino acids ( --> gluconeogensis)
Immune Response
Acts to counter SNS stress response
Suppresses inflammation
Prevents proliferation and growth of T-cells

9. Hypothalamic
Pituitary
Adrenal
Axis
STRESS!

10. STRESS!

11. Lipid vs Water Soluble Hormones
Remember: cells have a lipid bilayer
Fat-soluble: steroids (adrenals, testes, ovaries, uterus, all derived from cholesterol) and thyroid hormones (not steroids) can travel directly across the cell membrane and they bind to carrier proteins IN the cytoplasm, then enter nucleus
Water-soluble: catecholamines, polypeptides, glycoproteins, cannot travel across membrane, must bind on surface

12. Glucocortocoid Reception
So how do glucocortocoids affect their target cells?

13. Longer-term Effects
Makes and stores glucose, can lead to insulin resistance
Muscle loss: cortisol decreases amino acid uptake by muscle, inhibits protein synthesis (promotes gluconeogenesis instead)
Extended wound-healing : we need immune/inflammation response to heal (think clot formation, COX-2!) but cortisol suppresses inflammation so we don’t heal as efficiently
Arthritis, osteoporosis, hair/nail problems from collagen inhibition

14. In utero
Instead of coming from a stress signal externally, registered by the hypothalamus, and then sent to pituitary, the placenta sends CRH to fetal pituitary

15. Finito.