Adrenal cortex

Hello there! Do you know what your kidneys are? They are two important organs that help clean your blood and make sure your body is healthy. But did you know that your kidneys also have some helpers? They are called the adrenal glands and they sit right on top of your kidneys, like little hats.

The adrenal glands are made up of two parts - the adrenal medulla and the adrenal cortex. Today, we're going to talk about the adrenal cortex. The adrenal cortex is like a superhero cape because it makes hormones that help our bodies do amazing things.

Now, what are hormones? They are magical messengers that help our bodies communicate and work together. They are like letters that get sent to different parts of our body, telling them what to do. For example, our body might need energy, so the adrenal cortex sends the hormone cortisol to different parts of our body to help us get that energy.

The adrenal cortex also makes hormones called aldosterone and androgens. Aldosterone helps regulate the amount of salt and water in our body, making sure we don't get too dehydrated. Androgens are like little helpers that help our body grow and develop. They also help give us our secondary sex characteristics, like facial hair or a deep voice.

So, in summary, the adrenal cortex is like a superhero cape that helps our body make hormones that do amazing things! It helps give us energy, regulate salt and water in our bodies, and even helps us grow and develop.