Anatomy of Adrenal Gland:

Adrenal glands are endocrine glands which help to maintain water and electrolyte
balance.These also prepare the body for any emergency.
Location and description:
Adrenal glands are two in number ,lying in epigastrium, at the upper pole of
each kidney opposite the vertebral end of 11th intercostal space.Each gland measures
50mm in height,30mm breadth and 10mm in thickness.Right suprarenal is pyramidal
and left is semilunar in shape.
Subdivisions:
Each adrenal gland consists of two parts:
1. An outer cortex ,secretes steroid hormones
2. An inner medulla , secretes catecholamines.
Structure and function:
The outer part cortex forms the main mass of the suprarenal gland and ther inner medulla forms only about one tenth of the
gland.
• CORTEX:
It is composed of three zones;
• Zona glomerulosa, the outer part which produces mineralocorticoid that effect water and electrolyte balalnce.
• Zona Fasciculata,which produces glucocorticoids
• Zona Reticuaris, which produces sex hormones
MEDULLA:
It is composed of chromaffin cells that secrete adrenaline and nor adrenaline.
Arterial supply:
Each gland is supplied by;
1. The superior suprarenal artery branch of inferor phrenic arery.
2. The middle suprarenal artery,a branch of abdominal aorta
3.the inferior suprarenal artery, branch of renal artery.
Venous drainage:
1.Right suprarenal gland is drained by right suprarenal vein which drais into inferior vena cava.
2.Left suprarenal gland is drained by left suprarenal vein into left renal vein.
Lymphatic drainage:
• Lymphatics from suprarenal gland drains into lateral aortic nodes.
Nerve Supply:
Medulla has rich nerve supply through mylenated preganglionic
sympathetic fibers
Chromaffin cells in it are supplied by postganglionic sympathetic
neurons.