adrenal gland

Either of a pair of endocrine organs lying immediately above the kidney, consisting of an inner medulla which produces epinephrine and norepinephrine and an outer cortex which produces a variety of steroid hormones.

adrenal gland: an endocrine gland located immediately above the kidney. It consists of two portions: a cortex and a medulla. The cortex produces and secretes steroidal hormones, among them cortisol (a glucocorticoid), and weakly active sex hormones. The medulla produces epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline and noradrenaline), catecholamines augmenting sympathetic nervous system arousal.

Dictionary of Sexology Project: Main Index

Histology of the adrenal gland

The adrenals have of 4 basic areas. Listed from most superficial to deepest, these are:

• zona glomerulosa
• zona fasciculata
• zona reticularis
• medulla

The top three zones are collectively known as the adrenal cortex.