Dalle M, Pradier P, Delost P
Reprod Nutr Dev (1980). 1985;25(5):977-91. doi: 10.1051/rnd:19850712.
The regulation of adrenal activity during the perinatal period raises different experimental problems; studies are often limited and their conclusions vary with the species studied. During the perinatal period, the profile of the ratio of adrenal weight to body weight reaches a minimum earlier the more mature is the species; this minimum occurs before birth in sheep, at birth in guinea-pigs and 10 days after birth in mice. In mature species, fetal plasma cortisol is higher than that of the mother; it rises sharply near term. In other species, maternal plasma cortisol remains higher than that of the fetus which also rises during the days before birth. In all species, the fetal adrenal is activated concomitantly with a sharp increase of the action of corticosteroid binding globulin on fetal plasma. The origins of this protein in the fetal plasma and the regulation of its concentration are topics of actual research. Before birth, placental transfer of cortisol increases regularly and slowly. During the perinatal period it is demonstrated that fetal catabolism of cortisol augments up to the adult level independently of changes in hormone secretion around birth.
围产期肾上腺活动的调节引发了不同的实验问题；相关研究往往有限，且结论因所研究的物种而异。在围产期，肾上腺重量与体重之比的变化情况是，物种越成熟，该比值达到最小值的时间越早；在绵羊中，这个最小值出现在出生前，豚鼠在出生时，小鼠在出生后10天。在成熟物种中，胎儿血浆皮质醇高于母体；在临近足月时会急剧上升。在其他物种中，母体血浆皮质醇仍高于胎儿，胎儿的皮质醇在出生前几天也会上升。在所有物种中，胎儿肾上腺的激活与皮质类固醇结合球蛋白对胎儿血浆作用的急剧增加同时发生。胎儿血浆中这种蛋白质的来源及其浓度的调节是当前研究的课题。出生前，皮质醇的胎盘转运有规律且缓慢地增加。在围产期，研究表明，胎儿对皮质醇的分解代谢会增加至成年水平，且与出生前后激素分泌的变化无关。
