Editing Adrenal cortex (section)

=== Androgens ===
{{Main|Androgens}}
They are produced mainly in the [[zona reticularis]].<ref name=":0" /> The most important androgens include:
* [[Testosterone]]: a hormone with a wide variety of effects, ranging from enhancing muscle mass and stimulation of [[cell growth]] to the development of the [[secondary sex characteristic]]s.
* [[Dihydrotestosterone]] (DHT): a [[metabolite]] of testosterone, and a more potent androgen than testosterone in that it binds more strongly to androgen receptors.
* [[Androstenedione]] (Andro): an androgenic steroid produced by the [[testes]], adrenal cortex, and [[ovaries]]. While [[androstenedione]]s are converted metabolically to testosterone and other [[androgen]]s, they are also the parent structure of [[estrone]].
* [[Dehydroepiandrosterone]] (DHEA): It is the primary precursor of natural [[estrogen]]s. DHEA is also called [[dehydroisoandrosterone]] or [[dehydroandrosterone]]. The reticularis also produces [[Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate|DHEA-sulfate]] due to the actions of a [[sulfotransferase]], [[SULT2A1]].<ref name="pmid17945481">{{cite journal |vauthors=Rainey WE, Nakamura Y |title=Regulation of the adrenal androgen biosynthesis |journal=J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol. |volume=108 |issue=3–5 |pages=281–6 |date=February 2008 |pmid=17945481 |pmc=2699571 |doi=10.1016/j.jsbmb.2007.09.015}}</ref>