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The thyroid hormones act on nearly every cell in the body. It acts to increase the basal metabolic rate, affect protein synthesis, help regulate long bone growth (synergy with growth hormone) and neural maturation, and increase the body's sensitivity to catecholamines (such as adrenaline) by permissiveness. [12]
Thyroid hormones play a particularly crucial role in brain maturation during fetal development and first few years of postnatal life [28] The thyroid hormones also play a role in maintaining normal sexual function, sleep, and thought patterns. Increased levels are associated with increased speed of thought generation but decreased focus. [27]
Thyroid follicular cells form a simple cuboidal epithelium and are arranged in spherical thyroid follicles surrounding a fluid filled space known as the colloid. The interior space formed by the follicular cells is known as the follicular lumen .
At 20 weeks, the fetus is able to implement feedback mechanisms for the production of thyroid hormones. During fetal development, T 4 is the major thyroid hormone being produced while triiodothyronine (T 3) and its inactive derivative, reverse T 3, are not detected until the third trimester.
Parafollicular cells, also called C cells, are neuroendocrine cells in the thyroid. They are called C cells because the primary function of these cells is to secrete calcitonin. [1] They are located adjacent to the thyroid follicles and reside in the connective tissue. These cells are large and have a pale stain compared with the follicular cells.
The pituitary gland secretes thyrotropin (TSH; Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) that stimulates the thyroid to secrete thyroxine (T4) and, to a lesser degree, triiodothyronine (T3). The major portion of T3, however, is produced in peripheral organs, e.g. liver , adipose tissue , glia and skeletal muscle by deiodination from circulating T4.
Thyroid hormones can have a direct inhibitory effect on thyrotropic cells, though the exact mechanism is unknown. At elevated levels of thyroxine , the rate of secretion of TSH decreases to near zero, as the body tries to maintain a relatively constant level of thyroid hormone in circulation. [ 1 ]
At the cellular level, T 3 is the body's more active and potent thyroid hormone. [2] T 3 helps deliver oxygen and energy to all of the body's cells, its effects on target tissues being roughly four times more potent than those of T 4. [2] Of the thyroid hormone that is produced, just about 20% is T 3, whereas 80% is produced as T 4.