Cells of the adrenal gland and cells in the ovaries produce cortisol and estrogen respectively, staring with the same initial substrate. Both types of cells produce the intermediate compound progesterone. In the adrenal gland, progesterone is converted directly to cortisol. In contrast the cells of the ovaries do not convert progesterone to cortisol, rather they convert it to a different intermediate product that is then used to synthesize estrogens.Since it is obvious progesterone can undergo the chemical reaction that converts it to cortisol, why isn’t this occurring in the cells of the ovary?
