Binjören

Binjören is a Swedish term sometimes used for the adrenal gland, though in modern Swedish the usual term is binjure (plural binjurar) with binjuren as the definite singular. Binjören appears mainly in older texts or certain dialects and is generally understood to denote the same organ as binjuren.

Location and structure: Each person has two adrenal glands, one on top of each kidney, enclosed by a fibrous capsule. The gland consists of two anatomically distinct parts: the cortex on the outside and the medulla on the inside. The cortex is divided into zones that secrete steroid hormones, while the medulla is a neuroendocrine tissue that releases catecholamines.

Hormonal function: The cortex secretes glucocorticoids (chiefly cortisol), mineralocorticoids (aldosterone), and androgens. The medulla secretes catecholamines (epinephrine and norepinephrine). These hormones regulate metabolism, electrolyte balance, blood pressure, and the body’s response to stress, while also influencing immune and cardiovascular function. Cortical secretion is regulated mainly by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, whereas the medulla responds directly to sympathetic nerve input.

Development and circulation: The cortex develops from mesoderm, and the medulla from neural crest cells. The glands receive blood from the suprarenal arteries and drain via the suprarenal veins (right directly to the inferior vena cava; left into the renal vein).

Clinical relevance: Adrenal disorders include Addison's disease (adrenal insufficiency), Cushing's syndrome (excess cortisol), and pheochromocytoma (catecholamine-secreting tumor). Congenital adrenal hyperplasia results from enzyme defects in cortisol synthesis. Adrenal incidentalomas are incidental findings that require evaluation for hormonal activity and potential malignancy.

History: The concept of the adrenal glands has a long history; the disease now bearing the name Addison’s disease was described by Thomas Addison in 1855.