Status of Deoxycorticosterone as Intermediary in the Biosynthesis of Cortisol. ∗

Abstract

Summary

Homogenates of adrenocortical tissue which synthesize cortisol and corticosterone from endogenous precursors were prepared in various media and incubated with trace amounts of DOC-21-C¹⁴ and progesterone-4-C¹⁴. While C¹⁴-DOC was converted to corticosterone, and C¹⁴-progesterone to both corticosterone and cortisol, C¹⁴-DOC was not converted to cortisol. DOC, however, was converted to a C¹⁴-product possessing a chromatographic mobility similar to cortisol, which was separated from cortisol by careful paper chromatographic fractionation.