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.
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.
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