Urinary Cortisol ELISA Kit

Urinary Cortisol ELISA Kit

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which is released by the pituitary gland. It plays an important role in the body’s response to stress and regulates numerous physiological processes, including glucose metabolism, immune function, vascular tone, substrate utilization, and bone metabolism. In the circulation, cortisol is primarily bound to corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) and albumin, while the unbound fraction is biologically active and available to most tissues. Free cortisol is excreted in the urine, making measurement of urinary free cortisol useful for investigating cortisol production and adrenal function.

In research settings, measurement of urinary free cortisol is used to study hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, stress responses, endocrine regulation, and disorders involving abnormal cortisol production. Researchers can evaluate urinary cortisol concentrations to investigate changes in adrenal hormone secretion and the effects of physiological or experimental stressors. Because urinary free cortisol reflects the unbound fraction of circulating cortisol, it can also be used to investigate changes in cortisol metabolism and secretion without being substantially influenced by alterations in cortisol-binding proteins.

In clinical research, urinary free cortisol measurement is particularly relevant to the investigation of disorders involving excessive or abnormal cortisol production, including Cushing syndrome. Elevated urinary free cortisol concentrations can occur when circulating cortisol production exceeds the binding capacity of corticosteroid-binding globulin, resulting in increased urinary excretion of free cortisol. Changes in total plasma cortisol can also occur when CBG concentrations are altered, such as during pregnancy or estrogen treatment, while free cortisol may remain comparatively stable. Measuring urinary free cortisol alongside other endocrine assessments can therefore provide useful information for investigating adrenal function and disorders of cortisol regulation.

This Urinary Cortisol ELISA Kit is manufactured in Italy by Diametra.