- Any corticoid substance that increases gluconeogenesis, raising the concentration of liver glycogen and blood glucose; the group includes cortisol, cortisone, and corticosterone. The release of glucocorticoids from the adrenal cortex is initially triggered by corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) elaborated by the hypothalamus. The target organ for this factor is the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, which reacts to the presence of CRH by releasing corticotropin (ACTH). ACTH, in turn, stimulates the release of the glucocorticoids from the adrenal cortex. (See also adrenal gland.)
- Glucocorticoids (GCs) are a class of corticosteroids, which are a class of steroid hormones. Glucocorticoids are corticosteroids that bind to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), that is present in almost every vertebrate animal cell. The name glucocorticoid (glucose + cortex + steroid) is composed from its role in regulation of glucose metabolism, synthesis in the adrenal cortex, and its steroidal structure.
Synonyms
glucocorticosteroid