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Endocrine > Histology of the Thyroid and Parathyroid > Flashcards

Histology of the Thyroid and Parathyroid Flashcards

1
Q

When in gestation does the thyroid gland begin to develop?

A

4th week

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2
Q

What is the first endocrine gland to appear in the embryo?

A

Thyroid gland

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3
Q

What part of the developing embryo does the thyroid gland develop from?

A

Endoderm

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4
Q

When does the thyroid gland begin to function?

A

End of the 3rd month

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5
Q

What are the three gross anatomical units of the thyroid?

A

Right lobe
Left lobe
Isthmus

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6
Q

Where, relative to the respiratory system, does the thyroid gland lie?

A

Inferior to the larynx

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7
Q

What is the thyroid diverticulum?

A

Inpouching of the primitive oropharynx

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8
Q

What is the thyroglossal duct? What happens to this in development?

A

The duct that connects the thyroid gland to the oropharynx

Closes in development

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9
Q

What is the pyramidal lobe? IS this a part of normal anatomy?

A

represents the inferior end of the thyroglossal duct that persists after the remainder of the thyroglossal duct has degenerated

present in about 50% of individuals

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10
Q

What is the thyroglossal duct? What happens if this does not degenerate in embryogenesis?

A

as the thyroid gland develops and descends into the neck, a hollow duct, the thyroglossal duct forms which temporarily connects the developing thyroid gland to the foramen cecum of the tongue. The thyroglossal duct eventually degenerates and normally disappears, however, in some individuals it may persist as a developmental remnant: a fibrous cord that extends from the fully-developed thyroid gland to the foramen cecum on the dorsum of the tongue

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11
Q

What part of the cervical fascia is the thyroid capsule derived from?

A

Deep cervical fascia

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12
Q

What type of tissue that comprises the thyroid capsule?

A

Dense, irregular collagenous tissue

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13
Q

What gives rise to the trabeculae/septa of the thyroid gland? What do these give rise to?

A

The thyroid capsule

Gives rise to lobules

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14
Q

What do the septa of the thyroid carry?

A

Blood vessels
Lymph vessels
nerve fibers

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15
Q

Where are the parathyroid glands relative to the thyroid?

A

Within the capsule covering the posterior surface of the thyroid

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16
Q

What is the function of the thyroid gland?

A

Synthesizes T3 and T4 and calcitonin

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17
Q

What organ of the body secretes calcitonin?

A

Thyroid

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18
Q

What is the basic structural/functional unit of the thyroid?

A

Thyroid follicle

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19
Q

What type of histological structure surrounds the thyroid follicles? What does this consist of?

A

Basal lamina

Carb substance and reticular fibers

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20
Q

What type of capillary network surrounds the thyroid follicle that allows for easy secretion of thyroid hormone into the serum?

A

Fenestrated

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21
Q

True or false: the follicle enclosing a lumen is a unique histological structure to the thyroid gland

A

True

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22
Q

What is the major difference between thyroid gland and other endocrine glands in the way that its hormones are stored/secreted?

A

Thyroid gland stores its secretory product in a follicle, not within secretory cells

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23
Q

What are the two cells in the epithelium that surrounds the colloid?

A

Follicular epithelium and principal cells

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24
Q

What types of epithelium surround the follicular lumen if there is low/normal/high thyroid function? (3)

A

i. simple squamous – low level of activity
ii. simple cuboidal – normal level of activity
iii. simple columnar – highly active

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25
Q

What is the function of calcitonin?

A
  • Inhibits bone breakdown by osteoclasts

- Promotes Ca deposition

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26
Q

What cells in the thyroid synthesize calcitonin? Do these cells participate in the colloid formation/secretion?

A

Parafollicular cells

Have nothing to do with colloid

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27
Q

What is the nucleus like in the thyroid epithelial cells?

A

Round to ovoid

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28
Q

What is the cytoplasm like in the thyroid epithelial cells (eosinophilic or basophilic)?

A

Basophilic

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29
Q

What part of the thyroid cells contain thyroglobulin?

A

Vesicles

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30
Q

What is the function of the microvilli of the thyroid follicles?

A

Increase free cell surface and absorption

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31
Q

What are “clear” / “C” cells of the thyroid?

A

Parafollicular cells

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32
Q

What are parafollicular cells derived from?

A

Neural crest cells

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33
Q

Where are the parafollicular cells in the thyroid gland?

A

Wedged between follicles (NOT exposed to the colloid)

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34
Q

What do parafollicular cells contain?

A

Dense secretory granules

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35
Q

What type of hormone is calcitonin?

A

Peptide hormone

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36
Q

True or false: calcitonin is secreted continuously at low levels

A

False–only when there is a problem

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37
Q

Patients with hypercalcemia are treated with what endogenous hormone?

A

Calcitonin

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38
Q

What can cause a calcitonin deficiency?

A

Removal of the parathyroid cells/follicles

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39
Q

True or false: a loss of calcitonin is not associated with any disease

A

True

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40
Q

What cells synthesize thyroglobulin? Where does this go?

A

Follicular cells

Released into the follicular lumen

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41
Q

Each molecule of thyroglobulin has how many amino acid residues? Which amino acid is this?

A

120 Y residues

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42
Q

What is the form of I that is in the serum? What about in the follicle?

A

Iodide (I-) in the serum

Iodine (I) in the follicle

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43
Q

What happens to the iodide as it is pumped from the bloodstream into follicular cells? What does this?

A

Oxidized on the apical (microvillar) cell membrane facing the colloid

44
Q

The iodine produced by follicular cells iodinates the thyroglobulin residues to form what?

45
Q

What happens to the MITs and DITs in the thyroglobulin molecule?

A

MIT + DIT = tri iodinated tyrosine

DIT + DIT = tetra iodinated tyrosine

46
Q

What are the cells in the pituitary that secrete TSH? Are these basophils or acidophils?

A

Thyrotropes–basophils

47
Q

What is the fate of the TSH released by the thyrotrope pituitary cells?

A

Enters general circulation and travels to the thyroid gland, where it binds to the TSH receptor

48
Q

Where in the cell is thyroglobulin synthesized? Where does it go from there?

A

RER

Goes to the golgi for glycosylation

49
Q

Where in the cell is thyroglobulin glycosylated? What occurs after this happens?

A

Golgi apparatus

Formation of transport vesicles that move to the luminal aspect of the cell membrane

50
Q

Where do the vesicles that contain thyroglobulin and are made by the golgi apparatus go once synthesized?

A

Transported to the luminal aspect of the cell membrane, and released into the lumen by exocytosis

51
Q

What is the form of I that we take in from out diet? Where is this changed?

A

Iodine–reduced to iodide in the GI lumen

52
Q

How does iodide enter the follicular cells? Is this active or passive transport?

A

Active transport via Na/I symporters located on the basal membrane of the follicular cells

53
Q

What is the enzyme that oxidizes iodide to iodine, and where is this found?

A

Thyroid peroxidase, which is bound to the apical side of the follicular cell membrane

54
Q

What is the cofactor that is needed to oxidize iodide to iodine?

55
Q

Where in the thyroid gland does the oxidation of iodide occur?

A

In the colloid

56
Q

What is the form of I that can bind to thyroglobulin?

57
Q

What is the enzyme that iodinizes thyroglobulin tyrosine residues? Where does this occur?

A

Thyroid peroxidase

occurs where luminal (microvillar) aspect of follicular cell contacts the colloid

58
Q

Iodinated thyroglobulin is stored in the follicular lumen as what?

59
Q

True or false: thyroglobulin is not a hormone

A

True–it is the inactive storage form of the thyroid hormones

60
Q

What are the cells in the pituitary that release TSH? Are they basophilic or acidophilic?

A

Thyrotropes

Basophilic

61
Q

Where does TSH bind to?

A

Adheres to TSH receptors on basal membranes

62
Q

What forms the luminal surface of the follicular cells?

63
Q

How is colloid brought into the thyroid cells?

A

Via endocytosis

64
Q

What are the two pathways through which thyroglobulin may be processed?

A

Lysosomal

Transepithelial

65
Q

What is the first step of the lysosomal pathway?

A

Vesicles enclosing colloid unite with endosomes in the cytoplasm that contain proteases

66
Q

What happens to the thyroglobulin in the lysosomal pathway once it unites with the endosomes that contain proteases?

A

Proteases split the iodinated tyrosine residues from thyroglobulin

67
Q

Once the iodinated tyrosine residues are split from thyroglobulin in the lysosomal pathway, what happen?

A

The iodinated tyrosine residues are released into the cytoplasm as MITs or DITs

68
Q

What is thyroxine?

69
Q

Once MITs and DITs are released into the cytoplasm in the lysosomal pathway, what happens next?

A

The enzyme iodotyrosine dehalogenase splits the iodine from MIT and DITs

70
Q

What is the enzyme that splits iodine from MITs and DITs in the cytoplasm of thyroid cells?

A

Iodotyrosine dehalogenase

71
Q

What happens to the iodine and the tyrosine that are released in the cytoplasm in the lysosomal pathway?

72
Q

T3 and T4 are liberated from follicular cell membrane on which side?

A

Basolateral

73
Q

True or false: T4 is produced in a variety of tissues in the body

A

False–T4 is only produced by the thyroid.

This is true for T3 however

74
Q

What are the three major organs that convert T4 to T3?

A

Kidney
Liver
Heart

75
Q

What is the first step in the transepithelial pathway?

A

Thyroglobulin binds to megalin, a transmembrane protein receptors located on the apical follicular cell membrane facing the colloid

76
Q

What is the protein that thyroglobulin binds as the first step in the Transepithelial pathway of thyroid hormone secretion? What is the function of this?

A

Meglin

Transmembrane protein receptor that transports thyroglobulin to the basolateral side of the follicular cell

77
Q

Are T3 and T4 molecules that are bound to albumin/thyroid binding globulin active or inactive?

78
Q

Where are the receptors for thyroid hormone?

A

Bind to intracellular proteins (nuclear thyroid hormone receptor proteins)

79
Q

What is the effect of thyroid hormone on phospholipid formation? TAGs? Cholesterol formation?

A

Decrease phospholipid and TAG synthesis, but increase cholesterol formation

80
Q

How does thyroid hormone increase cholesterol levels? (2)

A
  • Upregulate MHMG-Coa Reductase

- Increase uptake of LDL

81
Q

Thyroid hormone increases cholesterol uptake and synthesis, but hypothyroid pts have hypercholesterolemia. Explain.

A

They are unable to successfully manage cholesterol derived from the diet

82
Q

What are the menstrual cycles like with hypothyroidism? Hyperthyroidism?

A 
Hypo = long and heavy
Hyper = short and light
83
Q

What are the pharyngeal pouches that give rise to the inferior and superior parathyroid glands?

A 
Inferior = 3rd
Superior = 4th
84
Q

Where are the parathyroid glands located?

A

Posterior to the thyroid glands

85
Q

At what age are the parathyroid glands at adult size?

A

20 years old

86
Q

What anatomical structure carries blood and lymph supply into the parathyroid gland?

A

The capsule’s septa and reticular fibers

87
Q

What characteristic of the parathyroid capillary network allows for easy secretion of PTH into the blood?

A

Fenestrated capillaries

88
Q

In the adult, what percent of the parathyroid gland is made up of adipose tissue?

89
Q

What is the general histological arrangement of parathyroid parenchyma?

A

Epithelial cords/clusters

90
Q

What is the function of the chief cells of the parathyroid gland? Are these eosinophilic, or basophilic? Why?

A

Secrete PTH

Eosinophilic d/t large amounts of mitochondria inside

91
Q

What is the initial precursor to PTH? Where in the chief cells is this made? What processing does this have to go through before becoming PTH?

A

PreproPTH from the rER

Becomes ProPTH whilst leaving the rER, and is sent to the golgi, where it becomes PTH

92
Q

How is PTH liberated from chief cells?

A

Exocytosis

93
Q

What are the oxyphil cells of the parathyroid gland? Are they eosinophilic or basophilic?

A

i. function unknown, may be dormant, inactive chief cells
ii. intensely eosinophilic (due to large number of mitochondria)
iii. larger than chief cells

94
Q

What is the function, generally, of PTH?

A

Regulates blood Ca and phosphate levels

95
Q

What stimulates PTH release? What inhibits?

A

Stimulates = low Ca levels

Inhibits = high Ca levels

96
Q

What is the function of PTH in the bone?

A

Attaches to osteoblast receptors, and causes them to release osteoclast stimulating factor

97
Q

What is the role of PTH In the kidney?

A

Increase Ca and decrease Phosphate reabsorption

98
Q

What is the function of PTH in the intestines?

A

Regulates the formation of vitamin D in the kidneys, which in turn regulates absorption from the GI tract

99
Q

What hormone has the opposite effect of PTH?

A

Calcitonin

100
Q

What hormone increases low Ca levels?

101
Q

What hormone decreases elevated Ca levels?

A

Calcitonin

102
Q

What is the effect of the complete removal of the parathyroid glands?

A

Will drop Ca levels, causing tetany and respiratory arrest

103
Q

What is the name of the opening of the thyroglossal duct?

A

Foramen cecum

104
Q

What type of Immunoglobulins are produced in Grave’s disease?

A

IgG to the TSH receptor

105
Q

What causes the exophthalmos with Grave’s disease? (2)

A
  • Fibrosis of the rectus muscles

- GAG accumulation

106
Q

What causes the deposition of GAGs behind the eye in hyperthyroidism?

A

Fibroblasts there have TSH receptors

Endocrine (32 decks)

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