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Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Theses/Dissertations

2015

Cortisol Biosynthesis; Chronic Stress; Fetal Growth; Fetal Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal Axis; Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase

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Long-Term Hypoxia Alters Ovine Fetal Adrenal Enos And Cortisol Biosynthesis, Elizabeth Anne Newby Jun 2015

Long-Term Hypoxia Alters Ovine Fetal Adrenal Enos And Cortisol Biosynthesis, Elizabeth Anne Newby

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Maintaining normal levels of cortisol in response to chronic stress, while retaining the ability to respond to acute stress, is important for ensuring normal fetal growth and development. Long-term hypoxia (LTH) causes adaptations in the fetal hypothalamopituitary- adrenal (HPA) axis that maintain basal cortisol levels but enhance production in response to a secondary stress. Nitric oxide (NO), produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in the adrenal cortex, plays a significant role in regulating cortisol production in the LTH fetus. The production of NO is regulated by eNOS activity which can be altered via phosphorylation through key signaling pathways. In …