CH4 Thyroid Gland Flashcards
What regulates production of Thyroid Hormone?
TSH & Iodine
What are inhibitors of Thyroid Hormone synthesis? Where do they cause inhibition?
T4 & T3 (feedback inhibition) at TRH & TSH; dopamine, somatostain, & glucocorticoids inhibit at TSH
What are the major cells of the Thyroid Gland? What do they do?
Follicular (epithelial) Cells - thyroid hormone synthesis, Parafollicular (C) Cells - production of calcitonin
What is the functional unit of the Thyroid Gland? What is it composed of?
thyroid follicle: layer of thyroid epithelial cells arranged around a large central cavity filled with colloid (thyroglobulin Tg)
What occurs at the apical and basolateral ends of thyroid epithelial cells?
basolateral (facing circulation) - iodide uptake & T4 (tetraiodothyronine) deiodination; apical (facing colloid) - iodide efflux & iodination mechanisms (iodination of tyrosine residues on protein Tg)
What do Parafollicular Cells do?
secrete the hormone Calcitonin
What is the vasculature of the Thyroid Gland?
superior & inferior thyroid arteries; superior, middle, & inferior thyroid veins
What innervates the Thyroid Gland?
Middle & Inferior cervical ganglia of the Sympathetic Nervous System
Which polar end of Thyroid Follicular Cells are TSH receptors located?
basolateral end (facing circulation)
What type of receptor is the TSH receptor? What happens when bound to TSH?
Gs AND Gq; PKA regulates iodide uptake, activity of the Sodium-Iodide (Na+/I-) Symporter, & transcription of Thyroglobulin TG + Thyroid Peroxidase TPO; Ca++ regulates iodide efflux (Apical Iodide Channel), H2O2 production, and Thyroglobulin Tg iodination
What is Grave’s Disease?
thyroid autoimmune disease - Antibodies to the receptor act as agonists mimicking the actions of TSH (hyperthyroidism); can see hyperplasia of thyroid gland (enlargement/ aka goiter)
What is Hashimoto Thyroiditis?
thyroid autoimmune disease - Antibodies to the receptor act as ANTagonists (hypothyroidism)
How does TSH cause thyroid hyperplasia?
via hyperthyroidism. Growth and function of the thyroid are stimulated by rise in cAMP production via TSH stimulation
What is the mechanism of T3/T4 negative feedback inhibition?
Circulating T4 is taken in by cells of the hypothalamus & pituitary gland. Type II Deiodinase converts T4 –> T3. T3 exerts its inhibitory effects.
How does the Thyroid Gland concentrate iodide?
energy-dependent Sodium-Iodide (Na+/I-) Symporter; 2:1 ratio
How does Iodide get into the follicular lumen?
efflux of iodide is achieved by the Iodide Channel, which was opened when TSH bound (Gq - Ca++ effects)
Describe how Organification of Iodine occurs.
Organification of Iodine is the use of Iodide, Hydrogen Peroxide, & a tyrosine residue of Tg (via Thyroid Peroxidase) to form Monoiodotyrosine (MIT) or Diiodotyrosine (DIT).
Describe Thyroid Hormone Synthesis, starting with binding of TSHs to basolateral TSH receptors & ending with secretion of Thyroid Hormones.
TSH binds to TSH receptors (both Gs & Gq). Gs (adenylate cyclase) pathway stimulates Iodide Uptake (Na+/I- symporter 2:1), transcription of Tg + TPO. Gq (phospholipase C) pathway stimulates iodide efflux (Iodide Channels), H2O2 production, & Tg iodination. Iodide is taken in via 2:1 Na/I symporter (driven by Na/K ATPase). Iodide diffuses to apical membrane & out of Iodide channels. Thyroid Peroxidase oxidizes iodide to iodine (I+) using Hydrogen Peroxide & then iodinates tyrosine resides (3’ or 5’) on Tg. (“organification”) This forms Monoiodotyrosine (MIT) & Diiodotyrosine(DIT) resides. Residues are enzymatically coupled (Thyroid Peroxidase) into Triiodothyronine (T3) or Tetraiodothyronine (thyroxine, T4). Colloid is endocytosed, Tg is degraded (phagolysosomes), & free T4 & T3 is released into bloodstream.
What is the Wolff-Chaikoff Effect?
An autoregulatory occurrence of inhibition of Organification of Iodine due to elevated circulating levels of iodide. (only lasts a few days, alleviated by ‘escape phenomenon’)
Comparing T4 & T3 thyroid hormones, which has higher circulating levels, half-life, and potency?
T4 has a lower affinity for thyroid receptor and a higher affinity for Thyroid-Binding Protein, so it has higher circulating levels and half life (7 days) but is less potent. T3 is more potent, has less circulating levels and a shorter half life. (approx. 1 day).
What system ensures dynamic equilibrium of free & protein-bound thyroid hormone?
hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis is controlled by the amount of free hormone available (negative feedback). (e.g. decrease in free thyroid hormone due to increase of plasma binding proteins will stimulate release of TSH from anterior pituitary.)