Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between

Home / Science & Nature / Science / Biology / Biochemistry / What is the Difference Between Glucocorticoid and Mineralocorticoid

What is the Difference Between Glucocorticoid and Mineralocorticoid

October 12, 2021 Posted by Madhu

The key difference between glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid is that glucocorticoids can help with healing wounds and minimizing the pain of an injury, whereas mineralocorticoids cannot heal wounds or relieve pain; instead, they influence the salt and water balance in our body.

Glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, and sex steroids are types of steroid hormones we can easily distinguish by specific receptors, target cells, and effects.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Glucocorticoid  
3. What is Mineralocorticoid
4. Glucocorticoid vs Mineralocorticoid in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Glucocorticoid vs Mineralocorticoid

What is Glucocorticoid?

Glucocorticoid is a type of corticosteroid that binds to the glucocorticoid receptor present in most vertebrate animal cells. It falls under the class of steroid hormones. The name glucocorticoid comes from its role in the regulation of glucose metabolism. These corticosteroids are a part of the feedback mechanism of the immune system. It can reduce certain aspects of immune function, including inflammation. Therefore, glucocorticoids are useful in making medicines to treat diseases that come from an overactive immune system, for example, allergies, asthma, autoimmune disease, and sepsis.

Glucocorticoid vs Mineralocorticoid in Tabular Form

Figure 01: The Chemical Structure of Glucocorticoid Molecule

Furthermore, glucocorticoids have pleiotropic effects and include potential harmful side effects, making them rarely sold over the counter. This medication can also interfere with abnormal mechanisms in cancer cells. Therefore, we can use them in high doses to treat cancers.

In addition, glucocorticoids can affect cells through the binding of the glucocorticoid with the glucocorticoid receptor. This makes a complex of glucocorticoid-glucocorticoid receptors, which is up-regulated by the expression of anti-inflammatory proteins in the nucleus. This also represses the expression of proinflammatory proteins in the cytosol by preventing the translocation of other transcription factors that exist in the cytosol into the nucleus.

What is Mineralocorticoid?

Mineralocorticoids are a type of corticosteroids that are formed in the adrenal cortex. These hormones can influence the salt and water balance in the body. The primary form of mineralocorticoid is aldosterone. However, there are a number of different mineralocorticoids known, including progesterone and deoxycorticosterone.

Glucocorticoid and Mineralocorticoid - Side by Side Comparison

Figure 02: The Chemical Structure of Mineralocorticoid

Typically, aldosterone acts on the kidneys, providing active reabsorption of sodium. It is also associated with the passive reabsorption of water and the secretion of potassium in major cells of the cortical collecting tubule. It is also involved in the active secretion of protons through proton ATPases in lumina membrane of intercalated cells of our collecting tubule. In turn, this can increase blood pressure and blood volume.

What is the Difference Between Glucocorticoid and Mineralocorticoid?

A glucocorticoid is a type of corticosteroid that binds to the glucocorticoid receptor present in most vertebrate animal cells. A mineralocorticoid is a type of corticosteroid that is formed in the adrenal cortex. The key difference between glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid is that glucocorticoids can help with healing wounds and minimizing the pain of an injury, whereas mineralocorticoids cannot heal wounds or relieve pain; instead, they influence the salt and water balance in our body.

The below infographic lists the differences between glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Glucocorticoid vs Mineralocorticoid

Glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, and sex steroids are types of steroid hormones that we can easily distinguish by the specific receptors, target cells, and effects. The key difference between glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid is that glucocorticoids can help with healing wounds and minimizing the pain of an injury, whereas mineralocorticoids cannot heal wounds or relieve pain; instead, they influence the salt and water balance in our body.

Reference:

1. Roland, James. “Glucocorticoids: Uses, Types, Side Effects, and Risks.” WebMD.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Cortisol2” By Calvero. – Selfmade with chemdraw. (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Aldosterone-2D-skeletal” By Aldosterone-2D-skeletal.png by Ben Mills, vectorized by Fvasconcellos (talk · contribs) – Vector version of Aldosterone-2D-skeletal.png. (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia

Related posts:

Difference Between Mitogen and Growth FactorDifference Between Mitogen and Growth Factor Difference Between Allozyme Isozyme and IsoformDifference Between Allozyme Isozyme and Isoform What is NaloxoneDifference Between Naloxone and Naltrexone What are Alpha AcidsDifference Between Alpha and Beta Amino Acid Tretinoin vs RetinolWhat is the Difference Between Tretinoin and Retinol

Filed Under: Biochemistry

About the Author: Madhu

Madhu is a graduate in Biological Sciences with BSc (Honours) Degree and currently persuing a Masters Degree in Industrial and Environmental Chemistry. With a mind rooted firmly to basic principals of chemistry and passion for ever evolving field of industrial chemistry, she is keenly interested to be a true companion for those who seek knowledge in the subject of chemistry.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request Article

Featured Posts

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

You May Like

Difference Between Gopher and Groundhog

Difference Between Change and Innovation

Difference Between Change and Innovation

Difference Between Sublimation and Deposition

Difference Between Sublimation and Deposition

Difference Between Food Allergy and Food Intolerance

Difference Between WordPress and Blogspot

Latest Posts

  • What is the Difference Between Flakiness Index and Elongation Index
  • What is the Difference Between Salmonella and Shigella
  • What is the Difference Between NTU and FTU
  • What is the Difference Between Escherichia coli and Entamoeba coli
  • What is the Difference Between Education and Socialization
  • What is the Difference Between Nurse Crop and Cover Crop
  • Home
  • Vacancies
  • About
  • Request Article
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2010-2018 Difference Between. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal.