Biology
Steroidogenesis Pathways and Adrenal Insufficiency
Quick fact
The adrenal cortex produces over 30 different steroids, yet all are derived from a single precursor: cholesterol. A defect in just one enzyme, 21-hydroxylase, accounts for 95% of congenital adrenal hyperplasia cases.
Why this is interesting
Your body produces its own hormones from cholesterol, but what happens when the assembly line breaks down? The result can be a life-threatening emergency called adrenal insufficiency.