Library · Anatomy
Adrenal gland
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An adrenal gland is a small organ that sits on top of a kidney, and there is one on each side. It lives in the retroperitoneum, the region at the back of the abdomen. The kidney serves only as a landmark for finding it: even though they sit right against each other, the kidney and the adrenal gland are two separate structures, the way a cap resting on a head is still a cap and not a head.
Inside, the gland has two parts. The outer one is the cortex and the inner one is the medulla, and the cortex wraps completely around the medulla. They form a single organ, but they differ in two ways: in their origin, meaning where each came from as the body was forming, and in their function, meaning what each one does.
In brief
Each adrenal gland lies in the retroperitoneum, above the upper end of a kidney. The kidney serves as an anatomical landmark. Although the two lie close together, the adrenal gland is a separate structure.
The gland has an outer cortex and an inner medulla. The cortex surrounds the medulla; although they form a single organ, the two regions differ in both origin and function.
Sources (2)
- Endotext, NCBI BookshelfAdrenal Cortex: Embryonic Development, Anatomy, Histology and PhysiologyPublished
- NCBI BookshelfThe adrenal gland
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated