Lecture 35 Flashcards
Where is the medulla of the thyroid gland?
Between the follicles
What does the medulla contain?
Neural crest- derived parafollicular C-cells that produce and release calcitonin
What triggers calcitonin release by C-cells?
Increased serum calcium
What is calcitonin?
32 aa protein enoded by a gene located on chromosome 11 p, which is also expressedi n other tissues as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP, 37aa)
What is the function of CGRP?
Acts as both a neurotransmitter and vasodilator properties and is involved in completion of the process of testicular descent.
What is the main function of calcitonin?
Antagonize the effects of parathyroid (decrese bone resorption and increase renal calcium excretion)
What is a nutritional disorder related to hypercalcitoninemia?
High Ca-diet leading to mineral imbalance
What kind of cancer can hypercalcitoninemia lead to?
Thyroid Neoplasia (ex. medullary thyrid carcinoma in humans and ultimobranchial tumors in bulls)
How are ultimobranchial bodies affected by ultimobranchial tumors?
Ultimobranchial bodies fuse with the thyroid gland and are thought to develop into the parafollicular cells.
How is T3/T4 formed?
- Iodide is cotransported with sodium via an ATP driven sodium-iodide symporter (iodide trap)
- Diffusion of iodide to the apical plasma membrane
(Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) reduces H2O2, elevating the oxidation state of iodide to an iodinating species, and attaches the iodine to tyrosyls in thyroglobin (TG) in a nonspecific manner) - Iodide is oxidized and attached to rings of tyrosines in thyroglobulin (DIT if 2 iodine, MIT if 1 iodine)
- The iodinated ring of one MIT or DIT is added to another DIT to form T3 or T4 respectively
- Endocytosis of thyroglubulin containing T3 and T4
- Lysosomal enzymes release T3 and T4 from TG
- T3 and T4 secretion (1:20)
How is thyroglobulin synthesized?
- Free amino acids re-used for TG synthesis
- TG is synthesized in follicle cell and secreted to colloid
T4 is much more potent than T3
FALSE - much less potent with a longer half life (5-7 days vs. 18 hours)
TH effects are chronic
TRUE - The biological effect of T3 is more rapid and requires 3 days for peak effect vs 11 days for T4
How is T3 activated?
T4 is converted to active T3 at target tissue by 5’-mono-deiodinase action.
How does T3 function?
After T4 goes through deiodination across the cell membrane, T3 binds to nuclear receptors and initiates transcription of a variety of proteins and enzymes
Overall effects of thyroid hormone
Increase metabolic rate and O2 consumption as well as many general effects in target audience
What causes deiodination?
Selenium-containing deiodinases are involved in T4 metabolism, thus dietary selenium is essential for active T3 production
What other proteins and hormones are created due to T3 binding to nuclear receptor and that bind to intracellular/nuclear receptors (aka transcription factors)?
- Steroid hormones
- Prostaglandins
- Vitamin D
- retinoic acid
- thyroid hormones