Corticosteroid biosynthesis in the interrenal cells of the teleost fish, Oreochromis mossambicus.

Applying high-performance liquid chromatography and thin-layer chromatography to separate corticosteroids, we studied the biosynthesis of steroids by the interrenal cells of the head kidneys (the adrenocortical homolog) of Oreochromis mossambicus. Intact head kidneys converted exogenous 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone into mainly cortisol, but 11-deoxycortisol, cortisone, and androstenedione were also recovered from the medium. Incubation of intact tissue with pregnenolone in addition resulted in the formation of large amounts of an unidentified product, which was absent in incubations of tissue homogenates with pregnenolone.