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Developmental and Functional Biology of the Primate Fetal Adrenal Cortex¹

Reproductive Endocrinology Center, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143-0556

I. Introduction

II. Development

A. Embryonic adrenal development

B. Fetal adrenal development

C. Neonatal adrenal development

D. Growth

E. Functional development

1. Ontogeny of steroidogenic activity

2. Functional zonation and ontogeny of steroidogenic enzyme expression

3. Responsiveness to ACTH

III. Regulation

A. The fetal pituitary and ACTH

B. Growth factors

1. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)

2. Epidermal growth factor (EGF)

3. Insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I and IGF-II)

4. Activin/inhibins

5. TGFß

C. Nuclear receptors/transcription factors

D. Placental factors

1. Human CG (hCG)

2. Placental CRH and ACTH

3. Indirect effect of placental glucocorticoid metabolism

4. Placental estrogens

IV. Physiology

A. Placental estrogen formation

B. Timing of parturition and fetal maturation

V. Summary