The Thyroid Gland Flashcards
Where is the thyroid gland located?
Around the front larynx and trachea
Below the thyroid cartilage
What is the name of the bridge that joins the 2 lobes of the thyroid gland?
Isthmus
Describe the embryological development of the Thyroid gland
An epithelial proliferation in the floor of the pharynx at the base of the tongue
Descends down the Thyroglossal duct and migrates downwards passing in front of the hyoid bone
What are thyroid follicles?
When follicular cells are arranged in spheres
What do the thyroid follicles contain?
Colloid
What is colloid?
It’s made up of deposits of Thyroglobulin
Is colloid Intracellular or extracellular?
Extracellular even though it is inside the follicle
What is Thyroglobulin?
A protein where thyroid hormone is synthesised
What are parafollicular cells and where are they found in thyroid histology?
Cells that produce Calcitonin which is important in calcium metabolism
They are found not producing the spheres/ thyroid follicles
What is the only use of iodine in the body?
Synthesis of Thyroid hormones
What do thyroid hormones consist of?
Iodinated tyrosine
What does T3 (Triiodothyronine) consist of?
2 tyrosines linked together with iodine at 3 positions on the aromatic rings
MONOiodotyrosin + DIiodotyrosine
What does T4 (Tetraiodothyronine) or Thyroxine consist of?
2 tyrosines linked together with iodine at 4 positions on the aromatic rings
DIiodotyrosine + DIiodotyrosine
Why is Thyroglobulin important in thyroid hormone synthesis?
It acts as a scaffold
It contains the tyrosine residues that will be iodinated
Tyrosine residues on the thyroglobulin protein get iodinate
They also then get coupled to form T3 or T4
What happens to the thyroglobulin protein that holds the coupled tyrosine residues, so T3 or T4 when the thyroid hormones need to be released?
It gets degraded (proteolysis)
The colloid that got taken back into the cell fuses with a lysosome which degrades thyroglobulin
What is the key enzyme involved in the synthesis of thyroid hormones?
Thyroid Peroxidase
What are the 3 key roles of Thyroid peroxidase?
-Oxidation of iodide to iodine (needs H2O2)
-Addition of Iodine to tyrosine residues
-Coupling of MIT or DIT to generate T3 or T4 in the Thyroglobulin protein
What form must iodine be converted into before it can be absorbed into the body?
Iodide (I-)
What is an Iodine trap?
The sodium iodide symporter found in thyroid epithelial cells which take up iodide from the blood
Which enzyme oxidises Iodide to iodine in the thyroid epithelial cell so it can be released into the colloid?
Thyroid peroxidase
What happens to the thyroid gland in response to iodine deficiency?
Enlarges
Goitre
How are the thyroid hormones stored?
Within the thyroglobulin proteins
How does colloid containing Thyroglobulin protein with thyroid hormones stored in it enter back into the thyroid follicular cell?
Pinocytosis
Out of T3 and T4, which one is more biologically active?
T3
Which is the main thyroid hormone which is secreted?
T4 but T3 is more active