PHYSIO ESSAY 15

FUNCTIUONAL MORPHOLOGY OF THE THYROIF GLAND:

Thyroid gland is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body and consists of
2 connected lobes. It is found in the neck Adam’s apple. The thyroid gland
controls how quickly the body uses energy,make proteins and controls the
body’s sensitivity to other hormones .It participates in these processes by
producing thyroid hormones the principal one being thyroxine T4 and
triiodothyronine T3 which is more active.Thye hormone regulate the growth
and rate of function of many other systems in the body .T3 and T4 are
synthesized from iodine and tyrosine.The thyroid also produces calcitonin which
plays a role in calcium homeostasis. Hormonal output from the thyroid is
regulated by thyroid stimulating hormone TSH produced by the anterior
pituitary which itself is regulated by tryptophan releasimg hormone TRH
produced by the hypothalamus.

The thyroid may be affected by some frequent thyroid

diseases.Hyperthyroidism occurs when the gland produces excessive amounts
of thyroid hormones the most common cause being Grave’s disease an
autoimmune disorder.In contrast hypothyroidism is a state of insufficient
thyroid hormone production .Worldwide the most common cause is iodine
deficiency . Thyroid hormones are important for development and
hyperthyroidism secondary to iodine deficiency remains to leading cause of
preventable intellectual disability.

IODINE CONTAINING THYROID HORMONES:

Thyroid hormones are a group of chemically similar substances with a unique

iodine amino acids structure .Food and water supply the needed element
iodine.Its presence in biologically active molecules is unusual and distinguishes
the thyroid hormones from other chemical messengers .AA are special
molecules that combine to form proteins .Humans have 20 different kinds of
these water soluble building blocks.
The most common thyroid hormones are made in the vertebrates thyroid
gland.The complex building process begins with a long chain of linked tyrosine
amino acids called thyroglobulin.One or 2 iodine atoms are first added to each
tyrosine.Then pairs of the iodinated amino acids are clipped from the
thyroglobulin chain creating mainly thyroxine and some
triiodothyronine.Thyroxine the most abundant thyroid hormones contains 4
iodine atoms and is nicknamed T4 while triiodothyroxine the most active form
has 3 and is reffered as T3.

Once made the thyroid gland releases the hormone into the bloodstream where
protein cahperones called thyroid transport proteins accompany them tp
targets cells in tissues all over the body.In the target cells enzymes remove one
of the thyroxine’s 4 iodine atoms converting the hormone into the highly active
triiodothyronine androgen in 4 legged vertebrates.

Transformation of thyroxin in body tissues is the main source of nearly all of the
needed triiodothyroxine as well as other lesser used thyroid hormones .These
other types include triac ( 3,5,3’-triiodothyroacetic acid ) and tetrac (3,5,3’,5’
tetraiodothyroacetic acid) and 3,3’,5’-triiodothyronine(rT3).In humans the liver
kidney and muscle contain the most thyroid hormone.Among animals all
vertebrates and even some invertebrates make thyroid hormones.

PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS AND CONTROL OF SECRETION:

Thyroid hormones specifically affect brain development heart rate lung

functions blood function bone growth steroid hormone production and
breakdown sugar fat and protein breakdown and some immune processes. The
indispensable messengers regulate life sustaining processes essential for normal
growth development reproduction and even behavior.For example:sufficient
concentration of thyroid hormone must be present before birth and in early life
for normal brain development bone maturation and production of growth
hormone.

Thyroid hormones influence vertebrate energy demands by stimulating cells to

burn more oxygen to moderate body temperature in warm blooded
animals.Seasonal changes such as fur molting in mammals or skin shedding by
reptiles in directed by thyroid hormones.An overbalance called hyperthyroidism
manifests in weight loss diarrhea racing heart and irritability. For example
bulding eyes and skin problems.

HYPER-HYPOTHYROIDISM:

HYPERTHYROIDISM: overactive thyroid is defined as an overproduction of the

thyroid hormones T3 and T4. This condition is most commonly caused by the
development of Grave’s diseases an autoimmune diseas in which anomalous
antibodies stimulate the thyroid to secrete excessive quantities of thyroid
hormones .The disease can progress to the formation of a toxic goiter as a result
of thyroid growth in response to a lack of negative feedback mechanisms .It
presents with symptoms such as thyroid goiter protruding eyes palpitations
excess sweating diarrehea weight loss muscle weakness and unusual sensitivity
to heart.The appetite is often increased .Beta blockers are used to decrease
symptoms of hyprthyroidism such as increased heart rate tumors anxiety and
heart palpitations and anti thyroid drugs are used to decrease the production of
thyroid hormones in particular in the case of Grave’s disease.

HYPOTHYROIDISM: it is the underproduction of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4

.Hypothyroid disorders may occur as a result of :

 Congenital thyroid abnormalities thyroid deficiency at birth

 Autoimmune disorders such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
 Iodine deficiency
 The removal of thyroid following surgery to treat several hyperthyroidism
and or thyroid cancer

Typical symptoms are abnormal weight gain tiredness baldness cold intolerance
and brady cardia hypothyroidism is treated with hormone replacement therapy
such as levothyroxine which is required for the rest of the patient’s life