# ENDOCRINE REGULATION IN THE PERINATAL PERIOD

> **NIH NIH R37** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 1994 · $227,110

## Abstract

The goal of these studies is to elucidate the developmental biology of
the human fetal adrenal gland.  Our underlying hypothesis is that the
unique structure, rate of growth and steroidogenic function of the human
fetal adrenal is the net effect of ACTH secreted from the fetal pituitary
and a cohort of growth factors expressed by the fetal adrenal of which
insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) is a major component.

Based upon our preliminary findings and those of others, our specific
aims are to determine: the mechanisms by which the fetal adrenals grows;
the functions of the various cortical zones; the mechanism by which ACTH
regulates growth and function; and the role of IGF-II in fetal growth and
function.

Understanding the growth and differentiation of the fetal adrenal gland
is to cardinal importance because of 1) the pivotal role adrenal
corticosteroids play in early enzyme induction, the coordinate
development of independent organ systems necessary or intrauterine
homeostasis and extrauterine survival (e.g. feta lung maturation,
deposition of glycogen in the fetal liver, and induction of enzymes in
the fetal brain, thyroid, gastrointestinal tract and retina), the
response to intrauterine and perinatal stress; 2) the pathologic
alteration of growth that occurs in congenital adrenal hyperplasia, which
we hypothesize is the result of the overexpresion of locally produced
growth factors stimulated by excess ACTH; 3) the atavistic reversion to
a fetal mode of function in adult adrenal neoplasms; and 4) the insights
into more general aspects of human organ growth that this understanding
will provide.

We will utilize cell culture and molecular biological techniques, as well
as two newly develop;ed in vivo models (fetal adrenal tissue grafted
under the kidney capsule of the athymic mouse and endogenous stimulation
of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis of the fetal rhesus monkey)
to address our specific aims concerning the developmental biology of the
human fetal adrenal gland.

The proposed studies are to investigate specific aspects of growth and
differentiation in the human fetal adrenal with the aim of determining
the mechanism by which these processes are regulated.  Ultimately, these
adrenal with the aim of determining the mechanisms by which these process
are regulated.  Ultimately, these studies should contribute to knowledge
of the role of the fetal adrenal in intrauterine development and
homeostasis, the regulation of normal and altered human pregnancy, as
well as greater understanding of the mechanisms of trophic hormone action
on target tissue.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2196601
- **Project number:** 2R37HD008478-19A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **SAM.gov UEI:** KMH5K9V7S518
- **Principal Investigator:** ROBERT B JAFFE
- **Activity code:** R37 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1994
- **Award amount:** $227,110
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1978-06-01 → 1998-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2196601

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2196601, ENDOCRINE REGULATION IN THE PERINATAL PERIOD (2R37HD008478-19A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-24 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2196601. Licensed CC0.

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