S3C9 (2.0) Flashcards
What is the thyroid?
A butterfly-shaped, unpaired endocrine gland composed of two lobes
Where is the thyroid?
Located anteriorly in lower part of neck
C5-T1
Surrounded by pretracheal fascia
What are the anterior relations to the thyroid?
Strap muscles (sternohyoid, sternothyroid, thyrohyoid, and omohyoid muscles)
What are the posterior medial relations to the thyroid?
Trachea
Oesophagus
Recurrent laryngeal nerve
External branch of superior laryngeal nerve
What are the posterior lateral relations to the thyroid?
Parathyroid glands
Cricoid cartilage
Lower thyroid cartilage
Carotid sheath - internal jugular vein, vagus nerve, and common carotid artery
What is the function of the thyroid?
Produce thyroid hormones that are essential for regulation metabolism and growth
What connects the two lobes of the thyroid?
Isthmus
What encapsulates the thyroid?
Pretracheal fascia - false/surgical capsule
Internal capsule - inner connective tissue covering that cannot be separated from the gland (true capsule)
What does the internal capsule around the thyroid form?
Septae, dividing the gland into lobes and lobules
What supplies the superior and anterior part of the thyroid?
Superior thyroid artery (from external carotid)
What supplies the posterior and inferior part of the thyroid?
Inferior thyroid artery (the thyrocervical trunk - branch of subclavian artery)
What does the thyroid ima artery supply?
Anterior surface of isthmus
Present in 10% of people
from the brachiocephalic trunk of the arch of aorta
What is the venous drainage of the thyroid?
Superior and Middle thyroid vein - drains into IJV
Inferior thyroid vein - drain into r/l brachiocephalic veins
What nodes are involved in lymphatic drainage of the thyroid?
Paratracheal nodes
Deep cervical nodes
What nerve provides the parasympathetic innervation for the thyroid?
Vagus
What provides the sympathetic innervation for the thyroid?
Superior, middle, and inferior cervical ganglia of the sympathetic trunk
What are thyroid follicles?
Small functional units
Spherical, vesicular components of the thyroid gland lined with epithelium
Follicular lumen filled with colloid
What are the two types of cells forming epithelium of thyroid follicles?
Thyroid epithelial cells
C cells
What fills the interfollicular spaces in the thyroid?
Reticular connective tissue Fenestrated capillaries - facilitate the release of hormones into the blood Lymphatic vessels Adipocytes Sympathetic nerves
How are thyroid epithelial cell arranged?
Basophilic cuboidal epithelium
Arranged in spherical follicles surrounding colloid
What receptors are found on the surface of thyroid epithelial cells?
TSH receptors
What is the function of thyroid epithelial cells?
Take up amino acids and iodine on basolateral side from blood
Synthesise, secrete and store thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin
What is thyroglobulin?
A protein made in the thyroid gland that is a precursor to thyroid hormone.
What is thyroid peroxidase?
An enzyme in the thyroid gland which catalyses the addition of iodine onto thyroglobulin to make thyroxine (T4) or triiodothyronine (T3)
How are C Cells arranged?
Large pale staining cells between thyrocytes
Found along the basement membrane of thyroid epithelium, which surrounds follicles and has no direct contact with lumen
How are C Cells activated?
Calcium-sensing receptors (CaSR) on surface
High extracellular calcium activates G-protein-coupled second-messenger (IP3 and DAG)
Increase of intracellular Ca2+ levels which increases calcitonin release
What is the function of C Cells?
Hormone production and storage in granules
Procalcitonin → proteolytic cleavage of N- and C-terminal peptide → calcitonin
Also secretes several neuroendocrine peptides in smaller quantities such as serotonin, somatostatin, dopamine, TRH, and motilin
What is the function of calcitonin?
Lowers calcium in serum
What is the function of calcitonin in bones?
Increase osteoclast activity
What is the function of calcitonin in kidneys?
Increases excretion of calcium and phosphate
What is the function of calcitonin in the intestine?
Lowers calcium absorption
What is the process of thyroid hormone synthesis?
- Thyroglobulin, an iodine-free hormone precursor, is stored in the follicular lumen.
- Iodide is actively taken up by thyrocytes and transported into the follicular lumen.
- Here, thyroid peroxidase catalyses the iodination of tyrosine residues of thyroglobulin, creating precursors monoiodotyrosine (MIT) and diiodotyrosine (DIT) and eventually the thyroid hormones.
How is T3/T4 released from the follicular lumen?
The iodinated thyroglobulin must be taken up again by thyrocytes, where it is broken down by lysosomes, thus releasing attached T4 and T3.
T4 and T3 are then transported out of the thyrocyte into the blood
What are the transport proteins involved in transporting thyroid hormone?
Primarily thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG)
Transthyretin: transports thyroxine and retinol
Albumin
How is thyroid hormone degraded?
Degraded in liver
sulfation/glucuronidation (biotransformation) → excretion via bile
What is the effect of thyroid hormone on the heart?
Increased cardiac beta-receptors Increased heart rate Increase stroke volume Increase cardiac output Increased contractility
What is the effect of thyroid hormone on the lungs?
Stimulation of the respiratory centre
Increase oxygenation due to increased lung perfusion
What is the effect of thyroid hormone on skeletal muscle?
Increased development of type 2 muscle fibres
What is the effect of thyroid hormone on metabolism?
Increased metabolic rate due to increased expression of Na+/K+ ATPase in many tissues
What is the effect of thyroid hormone on growth during childhood?
stimulation of bone growth
induction of chrondrocytes, osteoblasts and osteoclasts
promotion of synthesis and secretion of growth hormone
What is the parathyroid gland?
Four, oval-shaped endocrine glands embedded in the posterior surface of the thyroid gland
Where are the two superior parathyroid glands located?
Near the superior pole of the thyroid gland at the junction of cricoid and thyroid cartilages
Where are the two inferior parathyroid glands located?
Located in the area between the inferior poles of the thyroid lobes and the superior mediastinum
What is the function of the parathyroid glands?
Secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in response to low calcium serum levels
What is the vasculature of the parathyroid gland?
Arterial supply: inferior thyroid arteries
Venous drainage: thyroid plexus of veins
Lymphatic drainage: deep cervical nodes, paratracheal nodes
What innervated the parathyroid gland?
Thyroid branches of the cervical ganglia
What different cells are found in the parathyroid gland?
Adipocytes (∼ 50%) Parathyroid cells (parathyroid chief cells) Oxyphil cells: red/pink cytoplasm; function not clear
What are parathyroid cells?
Polygonal, hormone-secreting cells with round nucleus
Produce and secrete PTH
Have calcium-sensing receptors (CaSR), which detect changes in calcium concentration and modulate PTH secretion
What are the adrenal glands?
Two endocrine glands that produce steroid hormones and adrenaline
What is the approximate size of the adrenal gland?
Height and thickness ~5cm and width 1-2cm
Where are the adrenal glands located?
Primary retroperitoneal organs
Each gland is located superior to the upper pole
Enclosed by the renal fascia and adipose capsule of the kidney
Whats the function of the adrenal gland?
Adrenal cortex: outer layer produces steroid hormones
Adrenal medulla: inner part produces catecholamines
What is the arterial blood supply to the adrenal glands?
Superior suprarenal artery (from the inferior phrenic artery)
Medial suprarenal artery (from the abdominal aorta)
Inferior suprarenal artery (from the renal artery)