Adrenocortical (interrenal) tissue is composed of steroidogenic cells that produce corticosteroids involved in the stress response and hydromineral balance. Previous research characterizing the elasmobranch interrenal suggests that the number of interrenal bodies that produce the single primary corticosteroid, 1a-hydroxycorticosterone (1a-OHB), varies among species. However, potential species-specific differences in the amount of interrenal tissue and major steroid products produced have been understudied. To address this critical gap in our understanding of elasmobranch biology, this study examined interrenal morphology, cell structure, steroidogenic enzyme distribution (3bHSD), and steroid production in four shark species: Finetooth Carcharhinus isodon, Blacktip Carcharhinus limbatus, Atlantic Sharpnose Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, and Bonnethead Sphyrna tiburo. Morphological analysis revealed differences in interrenal structures among species. Finetooth and Blacktip Sharks have numerous discrete white interrenal bodies along the dorsal midline of the kidney. The Atlantic Sharpnose Shark interrenal is a single yellow-white to dark green body along the kidney midline. Bonnethead sharks possess one thin strip of white tissue extending from the anterior potion of the kidney ending past the division of the kidney lobes. Histological assessment of cell type and 3bHSD expression confirmed putative interrenal cytology and steroidogenic potential among all species. Ex vivo tissue incubations confirmed steroidogenesis and validated 1a-OHB as the dominant steroid product; however, corticosterone (B) and deoxycorticosterone (DOC) were also produced. This study is the first to describe interrenal morphology in Atlantic Sharpnose and Bonnethead sharks. These results advance our understanding of elasmobranch corticosteroid production as well as potential mechanisms for species-specific responses to acute and chronic stress.
","abstract_html":"<p>Adrenocortical (interrenal) tissue is composed of steroidogenic cells that produce corticosteroids involved in the stress response and hydromineral balance. Previous research characterizing the elasmobranch interrenal suggests that the number of interrenal bodies that produce the single primary corticosteroid, 1a-hydroxycorticosterone (1a-OHB), varies among species. However, potential species-specific differences in the amount of interrenal tissue and major steroid products produced have been understudied. To address this critical gap in our understanding of elasmobranch biology, this study examined interrenal morphology, cell structure, steroidogenic enzyme distribution (3bHSD), and steroid production in four shark species: Finetooth <em>Carcharhinus isodon</em>, Blacktip <em>Carcharhinus limbatus</em>, Atlantic Sharpnose <em>Rhizoprionodon terraenovae</em>, and Bonnethead <em>Sphyrna tiburo</em>. Morphological analysis revealed differences in interrenal structures among species. Finetooth and Blacktip Sharks have numerous discrete white interrenal bodies along the dorsal midline of the kidney. The Atlantic Sharpnose Shark interrenal is a single yellow-white to dark green body along the kidney midline. Bonnethead sharks possess one thin strip of white tissue extending from the anterior potion of the kidney ending past the division of the kidney lobes. Histological assessment of cell type and 3bHSD expression confirmed putative interrenal cytology and steroidogenic potential among all species. <em>Ex vivo</em> tissue incubations confirmed steroidogenesis and validated 1a-OHB as the dominant steroid product; however, corticosterone (B) and deoxycorticosterone (DOC) were also produced. This study is the first to describe interrenal morphology in Atlantic Sharpnose and Bonnethead sharks. These results advance our understanding of elasmobranch corticosteroid production as well as potential mechanisms for species-specific responses to acute and chronic stress.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Bailey, Danielle Elizabeth"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":"Ocean Science and Technology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Frank Hernandez","Andrew Evans","Jill Hendon"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2017-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:44:41Z","subjects":["Interrenal","1alpha-hydroxycorticosterone","corticosteroids","stress","elasmobranch","physiology","Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology","Endocrinology","Marine Biology","Structural Biology","Systems and Integrative Physiology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/291","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Frank Hernandez","Andrew Evans","Jill Hendon"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bailey, Danielle Elizabeth"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-05-12T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Ocean Science and Technology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Interrenal","1alpha-hydroxycorticosterone","corticosteroids","stress","elasmobranch","physiology","Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology","Endocrinology","Marine Biology","Structural Biology","Systems and Integrative Physiology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/291"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Adrenocortical (interrenal) tissue is composed of steroidogenic cells that produce corticosteroids involved in the stress response and hydromineral balance. Previous research characterizing the elasmobranch interrenal suggests that the number of interrenal bodies that produce the single primary corticosteroid, 1a-hydroxycorticosterone (1a-OHB), varies among species. However, potential species-specific differences in the amount of interrenal tissue and major steroid products produced have been understudied. To address this critical gap in our understanding of elasmobranch biology, this study examined interrenal morphology, cell structure, steroidogenic enzyme distribution (3bHSD), and steroid production in four shark species: Finetooth Carcharhinus isodon, Blacktip Carcharhinus limbatus, Atlantic Sharpnose Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, and Bonnethead Sphyrna tiburo. Morphological analysis revealed differences in interrenal structures among species. Finetooth and Blacktip Sharks have numerous discrete white interrenal bodies along the dorsal midline of the kidney. The Atlantic Sharpnose Shark interrenal is a single yellow-white to dark green body along the kidney midline. Bonnethead sharks possess one thin strip of white tissue extending from the anterior potion of the kidney ending past the division of the kidney lobes. Histological assessment of cell type and 3bHSD expression confirmed putative interrenal cytology and steroidogenic potential among all species. Ex vivo tissue incubations confirmed steroidogenesis and validated 1a-OHB as the dominant steroid product; however, corticosterone (B) and deoxycorticosterone (DOC) were also produced. This study is the first to describe interrenal morphology in Atlantic Sharpnose and Bonnethead sharks. These results advance our understanding of elasmobranch corticosteroid production as well as potential mechanisms for species-specific responses to acute and chronic stress.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Characterization of Andrenocortical Tissue Morphology, Histology, and Steroid Synthesis Among Finetooth (Carcharhinus isodon), Blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus), Atlantic Sharpnose (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae), and Bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo) Sharks"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Frank Hernandez","Andrew Evans","Jill Hendon"],"dc:creator":["Bailey, Danielle Elizabeth"],"dc:date.available":["2018-05-12T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Adrenocortical (interrenal) tissue is composed of steroidogenic cells that produce corticosteroids involved in the stress response and hydromineral balance. Previous research characterizing the elasmobranch interrenal suggests that the number of interrenal bodies that produce the single primary corticosteroid, 1a-hydroxycorticosterone (1a-OHB), varies among species. However, potential species-specific differences in the amount of interrenal tissue and major steroid products produced have been understudied. To address this critical gap in our understanding of elasmobranch biology, this study examined interrenal morphology, cell structure, steroidogenic enzyme distribution (3bHSD), and steroid production in four shark species: Finetooth Carcharhinus isodon, Blacktip Carcharhinus limbatus, Atlantic Sharpnose Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, and Bonnethead Sphyrna tiburo. Morphological analysis revealed differences in interrenal structures among species. Finetooth and Blacktip Sharks have numerous discrete white interrenal bodies along the dorsal midline of the kidney. The Atlantic Sharpnose Shark interrenal is a single yellow-white to dark green body along the kidney midline. Bonnethead sharks possess one thin strip of white tissue extending from the anterior potion of the kidney ending past the division of the kidney lobes. Histological assessment of cell type and 3bHSD expression confirmed putative interrenal cytology and steroidogenic potential among all species. Ex vivo tissue incubations confirmed steroidogenesis and validated 1a-OHB as the dominant steroid product; however, corticosterone (B) and deoxycorticosterone (DOC) were also produced. This study is the first to describe interrenal morphology in Atlantic Sharpnose and Bonnethead sharks. These results advance our understanding of elasmobranch corticosteroid production as well as potential mechanisms for species-specific responses to acute and chronic stress.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/291"],"dc:subject":["Interrenal","1alpha-hydroxycorticosterone","corticosteroids","stress","elasmobranch","physiology","Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology","Endocrinology","Marine Biology","Structural Biology","Systems and Integrative Physiology"],"dc:title":["Characterization of Andrenocortical Tissue Morphology, Histology, and Steroid Synthesis Among Finetooth (Carcharhinus isodon), Blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus), Atlantic Sharpnose (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae), and Bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo) Sharks"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Ocean Science and Technology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:44:41Z"}