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Adreno- is a combining form used like a prefix representing either adrenal or adrenaline, especially used in medical terms.

Adrenal relates to the adrenal glands, a pair of glands located above the kidneys that produce steroidal hormones, including adrenaline (also called epinephrine).

Adreno- is based on the Latin prefix ad-, meaning “toward,” and ��ŧ��ŧ��, “kidney.” You can use that to remember where the adrenal glands are found in the body!

What are variants of adreno-?

When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, adreno- becomes adren-, as in adrenergic.

An example of a word you may have encountered that features adreno- is adrenocortical, meaning “relating to, or produced by, the cortex of the adrenal gland.” This term is most frequently found in relation to steroids.

The first part of the word, adreno-, refers to the adrenal gland, as we have seen. The second half, -cortical, represents cortex, the outer portion of a gland or organ. Adrenocortical, then, has the literal sense of “cortex of the adrenal gland.”

What are some words that use the combining form adreno-?

• adrenochrome
• adrenogenic
• adrenolytic
• adrenoleukodystrophy
• adrenomimetic
• adrenomegaly
• adrenopathy

What are some other forms that adreno- may be commonly confused with?

• adeno-
• adipo-

A receptor is a term for protein molecules on cell surfaces that can respond to and bind with other molecules.

Based on the meaning of adreno-, what hormones do adrenoreceptors bind with?