This special topic issue is a 'state of the art' update on current investigations with an integrative approach to the function of the adrenal gland under normal and abnormal conditions. Contemporary concepts regarding adrenal steroidogenesis, disorders of adrenal cortex, and prenatal glucocorticoid exposure are discussed. Papers include molecular, pathologic, and clinical descriptions of the adrenal gland as relates to perturbations and function. This issue is a valuable resource for clinicians and clinical, basic, and translational researchers in pediatric and adult endocrinology as they attempt to understand the role of the adrenal gland in health and disease states. sakriti opis