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GROSS ANATOMY OF SUPRARENAL GLAND

LectureBy

Prof. Ansari30/04/08…Wednesday…8.30-9.30am

(for BDS students only)

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Objectives

Location Gross features Blood supply Hormones released Clinical conditions

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location The adrenal, or

suprarenal, glands are located near the top of each kidney.

These glands produce hormones that you can't live without, including sex hormones and cortisol, which helps you respond to stress and has many other functions.

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Gross features The right gland is

tetrahedral in shape and lies lower than the left, which is semilunar in shape and usually the larger of the two.

Each gland weighs approximately 5 grams and measures approximately 50mm vertically, 30mm across and 10mm thick.

In humans, the adrenal glands are found at the level of the 12th thoracic vertebra and receive their blood supply from the adrenal arteries.

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Blood supply The superior suprarenal artery is provided by the

inferior phrenic The middle suprarenal artery is provided by the

abdominal aorta The inferior suprarenal artery is provided by the

renal artery Venous drainage of the adrenal glands is achieved via

the suprarenal veins: The right suprarenal vein drains into the

inferior vena cava The left suprarenal vein drains into the left renal vein or

the left inferior phrenic vein. The suprarenal veins receive blood may form

anastomoses with the inferior phrenic veins

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Hormones released are

Glucocorticoids Mineralocorticoids Sex hormones Adrenaline Nor-adrenaline

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Adrenal gland has outer cortex and inner medulla

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HISTOLOGICAL ZONES

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The most important mineralocorticoid is aldosterone, which regulates the resorption of sodium and excretion of potassium in the tubules of the kidney.

Mineralocorticoids are produced in the zona glomerulosa .

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The most important glucocorticoids is cortisol.

Glucocorticoids are produced in the zona fascicularis and reticularis.

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Small amounts of androgens, oestrogens and progesterone are also produced.

Sex hormones are produced in the zona reticularis.

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The adrenaline and noradrenaline-producing cells are there in medulla.

Tumour of the medulla causes pheochromocytoma, a malignant tumor producing hypertension, headache, &

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Pheochromocytoma. Symptoms:

# Headache# Diaphoresis# Palpitations# Tremor# Nausea# Weakness# Anxiety, sense of doom# Epigastric pain# Flank pain# Constipation# Weight loss

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Clinical conditions

Hypersecretions leads to Cushing’s syndrome.

Hyposecretions leads to Addison’s disease.

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Addison’s disease Chronic adrenocortical insufficiency

caused by bilateral tuberculosis, aplasia, atrophy, or degeneration of the adrenal glands. Symptoms include severe weakness, weight loss, low blood pressure, digestive disturbances, hypoglycemia, lowered resistance to infection, and abnormal pigmentation (bronze color of the skin, with associated melanotic pigmentation of mucus membrane and gingiva).

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Gingival pigmentation in Addisson’s disease

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CUSHING SYNDROME

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Thank you