Thyroid gland Physiology Flashcards
What is the follicular lumen filled with?
Colloid
What are C cells (parafollicular cells) secrete?
Calcitonin
Colloid is composed of newly synthesized thyroid hormones attached to?
Thyroglobulin
Hormones stored as iodinated thyroglobulin in the follicular colloid last in the body for?
2-3 months
What hormone of the thyroid gland is 10 times more produced than its counterpart and is the major secretory product?
T4
Majority of the production of T3 comes from?
Peripheral conversion of T4 to T3
Peripheral conversion of T4 to T3 occurs through the action of?
Deiodinase
Fasting, medical/surgical stress, and catabolic diseases are some clinical states associated with?
Reduction in the conversion of T4 into T3
When the availability of iodide is restricted, the formation of what hormone is favored?
T3
Deficiency of deiodinase mimics?
Dietary Iodide deficiency
In relation to the synthesis of thyroid hormones, what is a chloride/iodide pump that is located in the apical membrane?
Pendrin
Mutation in the Pendrin gene (SLC26A4, aka PDS) causes defects in?
1) Transport across apical membrane
2) Cochlea (sensorineural hearing loss)
Patients with Pendred syndrome usually have?
Hypothyroidism with goiter
Propylthiouracil (PTU) is an effective treatment for?
Hyperthyroidism
High levels of iodide inhibit organification and synthesis of thyroid hormones, this is known as?
Wolff-Chaikoff effect
Most T3 and T4 are bound to what binding protein?
Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG)
Where is Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) synthesized in?
Liver
What does Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) have a higher affinity for?
T4
Circulating levels of TBG can be indirectly assessed with?
T3 resin uptake test
Elevated T4 blood levels along with elevated T3 resin uptake is seen in what condition?
Hyperthyroidism
Decreased T4 blood levels along with decreased T3 resin uptake is seen in what condition?
Hypothyroidism
Elevated T4 levels and decreased T3 resin uptake are seen when TBG levels are?
High
Decreased T4 levels and increased T3 resin uptake are seen when TBG levels are?
Low
Decreased TBG blood levels along with increased T3 resin uptake is seen in what condition?
Hepatic failure
Increased TBG blood levels along with decreased T3 resin uptake is seen in what condition?
Pregnancy
What happens to the thyroid hormones during hepatic failure?
Increase in free T3, T4 resulting in inhibition of synthesis for new T3 and T4 (negative feedback)
What happens to the thyroid hormones during pregnancy?
Increase in bound T3, T4 and decrease in free T3, T4 resulting in an increase synthesis of T3, T4
What hormone regulates the growth of the thyroid gland and secretion of thyroid hormones?
TSH
What regulates TSH?
TRH and free T3
What is the secondary messenger for TSH?
cAMP
Increased TBG levels such as during pregnancy has what effect on thyroid hormone secretion?
Stimulatory
Iodide deficiency has what effect on thyroid hormone secretion?
Inhibitory
Deiodinase deficiency has what effect on thyroid hormone secretion?
Inhibitory
Excessive Iodine intake (Wolff-Chaikoff effect) has what effect on thyroid hormone secretion?
Inhibitory
Perchlorate, thiocyanate (inhibit sodium iodide cotransport) has what effect on thyroid hormone secretion?
Inhibitory
Propylthiouracil (PTU) has what effect on thyroid hormone secretion?
Inhibitory
Decreased TBG levels seen in liver disease has what effect on thyroid hormone secretion?
Inhibitory
What accounts for most of the increase in metabolic rate due to its actions leading to an increase in oxygen consumption and heat production?
Increase activity of sodium potassium ATPase
How does hyperthyroidism affect the BMR?
Elevates it
How does hypothyroidism affect the BMR?
Lowers it
In hypothyroidism, what is the concentration of blood cholesterol?
Elevated
Blindness and yellowing of the skin is often seen in what patients?
Hypothyroid patients
What is the cardiovascular effects of thyroid hormones?
Increase in cardiac output
When thyroid hormone levels are high, the myocardium has increased numbers of?
Beta 1 receptors
When the myocardium has increased numbers of Beta 1 receptors, it is more sensitive to stimulation by?
Sympathetic nervous system
Thyroid hormones act synergistically with growth hormone and somatomedins to promote?
Bone formation
Neural changes induced by thyroid hormone deficiency during the perinatal period are irreversible and lead to what unless replacement therapy is started soon after birth?
Cretinism
In metabolism, what are the levels of thyroid hormones when there is heat intolerance, weight loss, and increase in BMR?
Excess
In metabolism, what are the levels of thyroid hormones when there is cold intolerance, weight gain, and decrease in BMR?
Deficient
In the bone, what are the levels of thyroid hormones during osteoporosis?
Excess
In the bone, what are the levels of thyroid hormones during stunted growth?
Deficient
In the CNS, what are the levels of thyroid hormones during agitation, anxiety, difficulty concentration, and hyperreflexia?
Excess
In the CNS, what are the levels of thyroid hormones with cretinism (congenital) or in adults with listlessness, slowed movement, somnolence, impaired memory, and decreased mental capacity?
Deficient
In the skin, what are the levels of thyroid hormones during sweating?
Excess
In the skin, what are the levels of thyroid hormones when it is dry and myxedema?
Deficient
In the CV system, what are the levels of thyroid hormones during tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, palpitations, and high output heart failure?
Excess
In the CV system, what are the levels of thyroid hormones during bradycardia, decreased contractility, and decreased cardiac output heart failure?
Deficient
In the intestine, what are the levels of thyroid hormones during diarrhea?
Excess
In the intestine, what are the levels of thyroid hormones during constipation?
Deficient
Thyrotoxicosis is related to what condition?
Hyperthyroidism
What is the most common cause of thyrotoxicosis (primary hyperthyroidism)?
Grave’s disease
What is an example of secondary hyperthyroidism?
TSH secreting pituitary
What are the TSH levels during hyperthyroidism?
Decreased
TSH levels are decreased in hyperthyroidism due to?
Negative feedback of T3 on anterior pituitary
In hyperthyroidism, if the defect is in the anterior pituitary then what are the TSH levels?
Increased
Thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins stimulate TSH receptor without a TSH hormone during what condition?
Grave’s disease
What are the major clinical signs of Graves’ disease?
1) Exophthalmos (abnormal protrusion of eyeball)
2) Periorbital edema
How is Grave’s disease diagnosed?
Elevated free T4 or T3 along with goiter
What helps distinguish between Grave’s disease from adenoma of pituitary thyrotrophs?
Presence of circulating thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins
What is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in iodine-sufficient areas of the world?
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
What is the primary cause of hypothyroidism?
Gland destruction
What is the treatment of hypothyroidism?
Replacement doses of T4
In treatment of hypothyroidism, why are higher doses required in younger patients?
Bc metabolism of T4 decreases and plasma half-life increases with age
In women beyond menopause over prescribing T4 can contribute to?
Osteoporosis
In hashimoto’s thyroiditis, decreased T3, T4 secretion is caused by?
Thyroglobulin or TPO Abs
In hashimoto’s thyroiditis, TSH levels are?
Leading to?
1) High
2) Goiter
Iodide deficiency, maternal intake of anti-thyroid medication, impaired development of thyroid gland, and inherent deficit in the synthesis of thyroid hormones leads to?
Congenital hypothyroidism
Untreated postnatal hypothyroidism leads to?
Cretinism
With a goiter, what determines whether the patient is asymptomatic or if they exhibit hypothyroidism?
Whether or not they can maintain normal blood levels of thyroid hormones
Postpartum hypopituitarism due to necrosis of the pituitary gland is seen in what condition?
Sheehan syndrome
Most patients present with galactorrhea, difficulty lactating, amenorrhea and some present with hypothyroidism in what condition?
Sheehan syndrome
What does the patient have if they present with decreased TSH, increased T3/T4, positive TSI, and increased radioactive iodine uptake test?
Grave’s
What does the patient have if they present with decreased TSH, increased T3/T4, negative TSI, and decreased radioactive iodine uptake test?
Thyroiditis with hyperthyroidism
What does the patient have if they present with decreased TSH, increased T3/T4, negative TSI, and increased or normal radioactive iodine uptake test?
Thryoid nodule
What does the patient have if they present with increased TSH, decreased or normal T3/T4, and a positive antithyroid Ab?
Hashimoto’s disease (early stage)
What does the patient have if they present with increased TSH, decreased T3/T4, and a positive antithyroid Ab?
Hashimoto’s disease (later stage)
What does the patient have if they present with decreased TSH, decreased T3/T4, and a negative antithyroid Ab?
Pituitary abnormality