An adrenocortical cel showing the intracellular organelles in which biosynthesis of glucocorticoid and androgen occurs from a cholesterol precursor.
LDL is the major cholesterol-transport lipoprotein human blood, and most of this cholesterol is located in the central core and is esterified. The core is surrounded by a small amount of free cholesterol, phospholipids, and a protein known as Apo B. This is specifically bound to the cell surface receptor site. It is this mechanism that is postulated as the major route of cholesterol entry to the adrenocortical cells. The sites of action of the cytochrome P450 enzymes that are involved in steroidogenesis are shown:
