Abstract
Summary
Total homogenates and microsomal fractions of avian adrenal glands were incubated with cortisone, Cortisol, hydrocortisone or hydrocortisol in the presence of excess uridine diphosphoglucuronic acid. The resulting data indicate the presence of an enzyme system in the microsomes capable of conjugating all the above compounds except cortisone with glucuronide with liberation of uridine diphosphate. The presence of β-glucuronidase was also demonstrated in avian adrenal tissue. These results, together with the previous demonstration that significant amounts of glucuronide-bound steroids are present in the avian adrenal gland under normal and various experimental conditions, imply that steroid glucuronide conjugation and hydrolysis play some role in the normal physiology of this gland.
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