al ▁cor tex ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁zona ▁gl omer ul osa . ▁Their ▁function ▁is ▁to ▁reg ulate ▁the ▁concentration ▁of ▁electro ly tes ▁circul ating ▁in ▁the ▁blood . ▁For ▁example , ▁al d oster one ▁functions ▁to ▁raise ▁blood ▁sod ium ▁levels ▁and ▁lower ▁blood ▁pot ass ium ▁levels ▁by ▁target ing ▁the ▁kid ne ys . ▁Specifically , ▁it ▁bind s ▁re cept ors ▁of ▁cells ▁that ▁compr ise ▁the ▁dist al ▁tub ules ▁of ▁the ▁kid ne ys ▁which ▁then ▁stim ulate ▁ion ▁channels ▁to ▁con serve ▁sod ium ▁and ▁ex crete ▁pot ass ium . ▁Additionally , ▁the ▁ion ▁gradient ▁initi ates ▁conservation ▁of ▁water . ▁ ▁The ▁gl uc oc ort ico id ▁family ▁of ▁h orm ones ▁is ▁synth es ized ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁layer ▁of ▁the ▁ad ren al ▁cor tex ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁zona ▁fasc icul ata . ▁These ▁h orm ones ▁reg ulate ▁the ▁processing ▁of ▁prote ins , ▁f ats , ▁and ▁car bo h yd r ates ▁by ▁the ▁human ▁body . ▁They ▁also ▁play ▁a ▁role ▁in ▁maintain ing ▁a ▁normal ▁stress ▁response ▁cycle . ▁ ▁And rog ens , ▁or ▁sex ▁h orm ones , ▁are ▁synth es ized ▁in ▁the ▁inn erm ost ▁layer ▁of ▁the ▁ad ren al ▁cor tex ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁zona ▁ret icular is . ▁These ▁h orm ones , ▁such ▁as ▁est ro gen ▁in ▁females ▁and ▁test oster one ▁in ▁males , ▁are ▁commonly ▁known ▁for ▁prom oting ▁sexual ▁characteristics ▁and ▁the