Active steroidogenesis in the normal rat skin.

Using the radiolabeled precursors of adrenal steroids (14)C-11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC) and (14)C-progesterone ((14)C-PROG) we demonstrate that rat skin can synthesize a number of steroids. TLC separation of labeled metabolites show that among the (14)C-steroid products, two co-migrate with corticosterone (B) and 11-dehydrocorticosterone (A) standards. Thus, normal rodent skin possesses steroidogenic activity that can be shown using progesterone or DOC as primary substrates.