Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The highly active human fetal adrenal gland plays a critical role in long term health. Maternal cigarette smoking alters post-natal health of the fetus and the mechanisms involved may include the fetal adrenal. However, understanding of human fetal adrenal development is limited.Aim: To examine the effects of nicotine, its metabolite cotinine, and cigarette smoke extract on H295R adrenocortical cell line steroidogenic capacity.<p class=...

Introduction: The adrenal gland dominates in human fetal steroid endocrinology and produces large amounts of Δ5 androgens. Adrenal development in the human is poorly understood, and species differences make animal models only partially relevant. In this study we measured the steroid content of the human adrenal during fetal development and determined whether maternal smoking affects adrenal steroid concentrations or associated steroidogenic enzymes....

Introduction: The human fetal adrenal has unique structure/function and produces hormones (DHEA, corticoids, catecholamines) that control fetal development, organ maturation and parturition. Maternal smoking during pregnancy has immediate (pre-term delivery, low birth weight) and long-term effects on the offspring (metabolic syndrome, disrupted adrenal function). We performed shotgun proteomics to characterise human fetal adrenal development and to explore adverse effects of m...

Introduction: The human foetal adrenal gland (HFA) is a highly active endocrine organ, producing large amounts of DHEA and DHEAS. Our understanding of HFA development is limited, however, and species differences mean that animal models are only of partial use. Maternal cigarette smoking is known to increase the post-natal risk of health complications of the foetus, and the mechanisms involved may include effects on the HFA.Aim: To examine normal HFA deve...