 Dear students, in this topic we shall discuss the corticosteroid hormones produced by adenyl cortex. The adenyl cortex produces and secretes a family of steroid hormones which are collectively called as corticosteroids. These corticosteroids belong to three functional categories. Glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids and reproductive hormones. First we shall discuss glucocorticoids. The glucocorticoids include cortisol, cartisone and corticosterone. These hormones have primary effect on glucose metabolism. They are involved in gluconeogenesis in the liver during stress, starvation and disease. Dear students, we shall discuss the role of these hormones in gluconeogenesis in detail. Glucocorticoids act on liver and increase the synthesis of those enzymes which are involved in the conversion of glucose from amino acids and fatty acids. In this way, glucose is synthesized from the resources which are present in the body and raise blood glucose level. These glucocorticoids also reduce the uptake of glucose by these skeletal muscles and other peripheral tissues. Glucocorticoids increase the blood glucose level by using body care resources. This means that these glucocorticoids have peripheral tissues which are involved in stress, starvation and disease. Glucocorticoids are essential tissues to provide glucose. These hormones also reduce the uptake of amino acids by the muscles. In this way, they increase the probability or availability of amino acids to be converted into glucose through gluconeogenesis. In addition, they also mobilize fatty acids from adipose tissues and put them in the blood where they go to the liver and then convert them into glucose through gluconeogenesis. All these mechanisms of gluconeogenesis are important in starvation and stress because they make quick energy available for the critical tissues such as brain. The end result of this process is the degradation of proteins and stored fat deposits. These students also play other roles of glucocorticoids in addition to gluconeogenesis which stimulate gastric secretions. In addition to this, they work as an anti-inflammatory agent which suppresses some components of the immune system or immune response and works as anti-inflammatory or anti-allergy substance. Dear students, now we shall discuss the mode of action of glucocorticoids. Like other steroid hormones, these glucocorticoids bind to specific receptors in the cytosol of the target cell forming hormone receptor complex which enters into the nucleus and results in the regulation and transcription of certain genes. Dear students, now we shall discuss the mode of secretion of glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoid secretion is stimulated by the hypothalamic corticotropic releasing hormone and ACTH from pituitary gland. These secretions occur in response to stress and starvation. In addition, the secretion of these hormones occurs in the form of diurnal rhythms, i.e. daily rhythms. As a result, these hormones are maximum released in the late night before the wake of the morning. At that time, the purpose of encouraging them is to mobilize the energy resources of the body which are required once they come out of sleep. Dear students, these factors help in the secretion of glucocorticoids. Now, we shall discuss how to regulate the secretion of glucocorticoids. When the secretion of glucocorticoids increases, it provides negative feedback. Negative feedback is provided to the corticotropic releasing hormone from the hypothalamus and ACTH producing cells of the pituitary. As a result, the secretion of CRH and ACTH decreases. This way, a negative feedback mechanism regulates the secretion of corticosteroids. Dear students, now we shall discuss mineralocorticoids in detail. The mineralocorticoids have an effect on mineral metabolism. They act in maintaining the concentration of salts and water in balance in the body. The primary mineralocorticoid hormone is the aldosterone. Aldosterone hormone is secreted under the stimulation of ACTH and angiotensin II. This angiotensin II is secreted in the conditions of low blood pressure and low blood volume. This high potassium concentration also stimulates aldosterone production. Dear students, we shall discuss the effects of aldosterone. Aldosterone functions in iron and water homeostasis. It enhances the reabsorption of sodium and chloride ions from the filtrate in the kidneys. The result is the raising of blood pressure and volume. The mineralocorticoid aldosterone also functions in the body's response to stress. Dear students, adrenal cortex also produces a third group of steroids that is the male and female sex hormones. These include androgens, astrogens and progesterone. The androgens secreted by adrenal cortex include testosterone, dihydro, testosterone, androesthenydeone, and dihydro, epi-andro, stiron or dia.