Polarized light micrograph of hydrocortisone (cortisol), the most important glucocorticoid produced by the adrenal cortex. Glucocorticoids raise the level of blood sugar by stimulating gluconeogenesis in the liver. Hydrocortisone, a steroid hormone, is known to depress the immune response. It is synthetically produced and injected or applied topically to treat inflammation, allergy, asthma, adrenocortial deficiency, shock, collagen diseases, and neoplastic conditions. 10x magnification.