ABSTRACT
The adrenal cortex is a complex and multifunctional endocrine organ that secretes a variety of steroid hormones. The complexity of the gland may be a contributing factor in its vulnerability to toxicants. Among the endocrine organs, the adrenal cortex is the one most commonly affected by toxic substances (Ribelin 1984). A wide variety of chemicals have been found to cause structural and/or functional changes in the gland. Some of the reasons for this relatively high frequency of toxicantinduced adrenal lesions are discussed later in this chapter.
