Endocrine Abstracts

Primary aldosteronism (PA) accounts for the largest proportion of cases of secondary hypertension worldwide. The majority of PA cases are a result of a unilateral aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA). The pathogenesis of APAs, the most curable form of hypertension, has been the focus of worldwide clinical interest, and is associated with mutations in four genes: KCNJ5, ATP1A1, ATP2B3, and CACNA1D. Investigation into these mutations may lead t...

Introduction: The Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway is an evolutionarily conserved signalling pathway, playing an essential role during embryonic development. Murine studies have shown the importance of Shh in the growth of the adrenocortical primordium. Shh expression has previously been described in relatively undifferentiated sub-capsular cells in the developing rodent adrenal, however the organisation of the human foetal adrenal (HFA) is unique. This novel study aimed to descri...