Phenotypic Alterations in Adrenal Tumor Cultures.

Adrenal tumor cells in culture gradually develop a requirement for glutamine and serum albumin in order to produce steroids in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone. Glutamine acts simply as a precursor for a protein or proteins whose synthesis is required for the response to the hormone. Albumin apparently binds steroid hormone products that otherwise would inhibit further biosynthesis of steroids.