Adrenal Gland, Cross-Sectional View

Description

Cut through the adrenal (suprarenal) gland in a sagittal cross section and you would expect a peripheral adrenal cortex wrapping a centrally placed medulla, with the capsule forming the outer boundary and fine cortical trabeculae projecting inward. The cortical zones stack from superficial to deep as zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata, and the densely vascularized zona reticularis immediately external to the medulla. Medullary tissue sits medial to the cortex and transitions toward the hilum where the suprarenal vein exits, with arterial branches and sinusoidal capillaries traversing the cortex toward medullary venous channels. Tight, layered anatomy. That zonation matters in daily clinical practice because many adrenal pathologies respect, distort, or selectively expand a single layer. Cortical adenomas often arise from zona fasciculata and present with autonomous cortisol secretion, while hyperaldosteronism implicates zona glomerulosa and drives hypertension with hypokalemia; by contrast, pheochromocytoma originates in the medulla and produces catecholamine surges, a key preoperative consideration in adrenalectomy. A cross-sectional perspective clarifies why hemorrhage or metastasis can disrupt both cortex and medulla, and why venous outflow patterns differ between the right and left suprarenal veins. Use this artwork for endocrine blocks in medical school anatomy and histology, for board-style teaching on adrenal hormone synthesis by zone, and for figure plates in endocrine surgery or radiology texts that need an anatomically grounded map for lesion localization. It also supports patient-education materials explaining the cortex versus medulla when discussing incidentalomas, Cushing syndrome workups, or suspected pheochromocytoma. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.