Lecture 35 Flashcards

1
Q

Where is the medulla of the thyroid gland?

A

Between the follicles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What does the medulla contain?

A

Neural crest- derived parafollicular C-cells that produce and release calcitonin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What triggers calcitonin release by C-cells?

A

Increased serum calcium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is calcitonin?

A

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)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the function of CGRP?

A

Acts as both a neurotransmitter and vasodilator properties and is involved in completion of the process of testicular descent.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the main function of calcitonin?

A

Antagonize the effects of parathyroid (decrese bone resorption and increase renal calcium excretion)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a nutritional disorder related to hypercalcitoninemia?

A

High Ca-diet leading to mineral imbalance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What kind of cancer can hypercalcitoninemia lead to?

A

Thyroid Neoplasia (ex. medullary thyrid carcinoma in humans and ultimobranchial tumors in bulls)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How are ultimobranchial bodies affected by ultimobranchial tumors?

A

Ultimobranchial bodies fuse with the thyroid gland and are thought to develop into the parafollicular cells.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How is T3/T4 formed?

A
  1. Iodide is cotransported with sodium via an ATP driven sodium-iodide symporter (iodide trap)
  2. 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)
  3. Iodide is oxidized and attached to rings of tyrosines in thyroglobulin (DIT if 2 iodine, MIT if 1 iodine)
  4. The iodinated ring of one MIT or DIT is added to another DIT to form T3 or T4 respectively
  5. Endocytosis of thyroglubulin containing T3 and T4
  6. Lysosomal enzymes release T3 and T4 from TG
  7. T3 and T4 secretion (1:20)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How is thyroglobulin synthesized?

A
  • Free amino acids re-used for TG synthesis
  • TG is synthesized in follicle cell and secreted to colloid
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

T4 is much more potent than T3

A

FALSE - much less potent with a longer half life (5-7 days vs. 18 hours)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

TH effects are chronic

A

TRUE - The biological effect of T3 is more rapid and requires 3 days for peak effect vs 11 days for T4

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How is T3 activated?

A

T4 is converted to active T3 at target tissue by 5’-mono-deiodinase action.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How does T3 function?

A

After T4 goes through deiodination across the cell membrane, T3 binds to nuclear receptors and initiates transcription of a variety of proteins and enzymes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Overall effects of thyroid hormone

A

Increase metabolic rate and O2 consumption as well as many general effects in target audience

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What causes deiodination?

A

Selenium-containing deiodinases are involved in T4 metabolism, thus dietary selenium is essential for active T3 production

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What other proteins and hormones are created due to T3 binding to nuclear receptor and that bind to intracellular/nuclear receptors (aka transcription factors)?

A
  • Steroid hormones
  • Prostaglandins
  • Vitamin D
  • retinoic acid
  • thyroid hormones
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What permissive effects are caused via nuclear receptor transcription factors?

A

Normal growth and development of bones and central nervous system

20
Q

What intracellular effects occur due to the nuclear receptor?

A
  • Increased mitochondria activity
  • Increased respiratory enzyme activity
  • Increased sodium-potassium-ATPase activity
  • Increased activity of other enzymes

Which leads to

  • Increased O2 consumption
  • Increased metabolic rate
21
Q

What whole body effects occur due to increased O2 consumption and increased metabolic rate?

A
  • Increased CO2 and ventilation in lungs
  • Increased cardiac output
  • Increased urea and renal function in kidneys
22
Q

List symptoms of hyperthyroidism

A
  • Nervousness
  • Weight loss
  • Diarrhea
  • Tachycardia
  • Insomnia
  • Increased appetite
  • Heat intolerance
  • Oligomenorrhea (sparce and infrequent menstrual cycles)
  • Muscle wasting
  • Goiter
  • Exophthalmos
23
Q

List symptoms of hypothyroidism

A
  • Lethargy, slow cerebration
  • Weight gain
  • Constipation
  • Bradycardia
  • Sleepiness
  • Anorexia
  • Cold intolerance
  • Menorrhagia (heavy menstrual cycles)
  • Weakness
  • Dry, coarse skin, Goiter
  • Facial edema
24
Q

List causes of hypothyroidism

A
  • Most often caused by Hashimoto’s disease (autoimmune lymphocytic thyroiditis)
  • Iatrogenic interventions (surgery, radioactive iodine treatment, drugs such as lithium)
  • Dietary (Iodine deficiency; ‘goitrogen’ vegetables)
25
Q

Sequelae of hypothyroidism

A
  • Deficiency of thyrod hormones slows down metabolism but clinical presentation depends on the duration and severity of hormone deficiency
  • Cretinism
  • Myxedema
26
Q

What is Cretinism?

A

Deficiency during fetal development that causes stunted growth and potential mental retardation

27
Q

Usual cause of Cretinism?

A

Maternal hypothyroidism before fetal thyroid is developed.

28
Q

Thyroid gland is active in fetal life

A

TRUE - alongside iodide from maternal circulation, fetal production of T4 reaches a clinically significant level at 18-20 weeks

29
Q

Cretinism causes neurodevelopmental disorders

A

FALSE - fetal self-sufficiency of thyroid hormones protects the fetus, but preterm births combined with cretinism can suffer neurodevelopmental disorders because their own thyroid is insufficiently developed to meet their post natal needs

30
Q

What is Myxedema?

A

Thyroid deficiency in adulthood, which presents as coarse puffy skin due to retention of fluid in the dermis of the skin

31
Q

What are the lab results for hypothyroidism?

A
  • Lowered T4
  • Increased TSH
32
Q

Hypothyroidism is 6x more common in women

A

TRUE - and affects 1:100 adults

33
Q

Iodine deficiency is rare in the US

A

TRUE - 1:10000 molecules in salt is NaI instead of NaCl

34
Q

What is a goiter?

A

Enlargement of the thyroid gland because of a lack of negative feedback on the anterior pituitary so TSH continues to be secreted uninhibited. Can be seen in both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

35
Q

What is Hashitoxicosis/Hashimoto Thyroiditis?

A

A rare case where hypothyroidism doesn’t develop gradually because it is preceded by transient thyrotoxicosis caused by disruption of thyroid follicles, with secondary release of thyroid hormones.

36
Q

How are lab levels affected by Hashitoxicosis?

A

Increased T4/T3 and decreased TSH and radioactive iodine uptake is decreased

37
Q

Hashimoto thyroiditis is more common in women than men

A

TRUE - Somewhere between 10:1 to 20:1

38
Q

What are the three proposed models for mechanism of thyrocyte destruction?

A
  • T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity (CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell uses FasL to bind to Fas and kill the thyrocyte)
  • Thyrocyte injury (CD4+ TH1 cell uses gamma-IFN to create an activated macrophage which injures the thyrocytes)
  • Antibody-dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity (Plasma cell attaches to thyrocyte via anti-thyroid antibodies that attach to the Fc receptor on the plasma cells. The plasma cell then transforms into a NK cell.)
38
Q

What is the common first step between the three proposed models for mechanism of thyrocyte destruction?

A

T-cell sensitization to thyroid antigens

39
Q

Hyperthyroidism causes:

A
  • In 75% of all cases, Graves’ disease
  • Nodular goiter or solitary hyper-functioning adenoma in the thyroid or pituitary gland
40
Q

What is Grave’s disease?

A

An autoimmune disease in which autoantibodies called thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins or TSIs are produced against TSH receptors

41
Q

Sequelae of Hyperthyroidism

A
  • Characterized by an increased metabolic rate and acceleration of many physiologic functions
  • Exophthalmos
  • Tachycardia
  • Goiter
  • 1:50 women, 1:250 men
42
Q

Lab results for hyperthyroidism

A
  • Decreased TSH
  • Increased T3, T4
  • Increased antibodies to thyroid
43
Q

Causes of Graves’ Disease

A
  • Autoantibodies produced by plasma cells derived from sensitized T cells against TSH receptors present at the basal surface of thyroid follicular cells, bind to the receptor and mimic the effect of TSH. -> thyroid follicular cells become columnar and secrete large amounts of thyroid hormones into the blood circulation in an unregulated fashion
  • Inflammatory cells in the stroma of the thyroid gland produce cytokines (IL-1, TNF-alpha, and interferon-gamma), that stimulate thyroid cells to produce cytokines, thus reinforcing the thyroidal autoimmune process
44
Q

Symptoms of Graves’ Disease

A
  • Goiter
  • Exophthalmos
  • Tachycardia
  • Warm skin
  • Fine finger tremors
45
Q

Treatment of Graves’ Disease

A

Anti-thyroid drugs reduce the production of cytokines (immunosuppressive effect) leading to remission in some patients

46
Q
A