Chapter 1- An Overview of the Thyroid- What is its Function?

The butterfly shaped thyroid is the largest pure gland of the endocrine system. It is located on the neck and usually contains the parathyroids. It plays a major role in regulating metabolism and as a result has a large blood supply.

The thyroid is located in front of the trachea, which is located in the neck. It consists of two lateral lobes in the shape of butterfly wings. These lobes are connected by a mass of tissue called the isthmus. The large superior and inferior thyroid arteries supply the gland with fresh blood. A central cavity of the thyroid stores colloid. Colloid is a golden, sticky liquid composed of thyroglobulin molecules which are attached to iodine. The thyroid is the only gland in the body that collects and uses iodine.

This gland consists of empty, round sacs called follicles into which the hormone thyroglobulin is secreted. The walls of these follicles are built with cuboidal (cube shaped) and squamous (very flattened) epithelial cells. Epithelial cells line the body and readily adhere to each other. These protective cells do double duty by also producing the raw thyroglobulin. Each follicle is surrounded by soft connective tissue.

Parafollicular cells are also found in the thyroid. These cells are in the follicular epithelium but protrude into the surrounding connective tissue.

The endocrine system uses hormones to control the body. Organs of this system are spread throughout the body and include the pituitary, adrenal, and pineal glands in addition to the thyroid and parathyroid glands. Other organs contain some cells that secrete hormones. These cells are also a part of the endocrine system. Hormones are generally slow acting and use chemicals to regulate cells throughout the body. While some act locally, others enter the lymph system or bloodstream and act at a distance. Most are amino acid based; the well known steroids are derived from cholesterol. A third class is secreted from cell membranes throughout the body.

The thyroid hormone is two separate hormones that play a major role in body metabolism regulation. Thyroxine, or T4, has four iodine molecules attached while triiodothyronine, or T3, has three iodine atoms. T4 is synthesized, or put together, in the large central cavity by combining thyroglobulin with four iodine atoms. T4 is secreted into