The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland that produces thyroid hormone and sits low on the front of the neck. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ located below Adam’s apple and along the front of the windpipe. The thyroid gland is divided into two side lobes, which are joined in the middle by an isthmus. When the thyroid is at its normal size, it produces no symptoms. The thyroid also serves as a conduit for nerves that are crucial to vocal quality.
Thyroid Gland
Thyroid hormones are a collection of hormones produced by the thyroid gland and referred to as thyroid hormones collectively. Thyroid hormones have an impact on growth and development, as well as body temperature, in addition to their metabolic effects. To ensure proper brain development during childhood and adolescence, thyroid hormone levels must be kept at optimal levels.
Location
The thyroid is located near the larynx and trachea, where it lies against and around them when viewed from the front of the neck. The thyroid cartilage and the cricoid cartilage are located just above and below the thyroid gland. The tracheal isthmus in humans runs from the second to third tracheal rings, with the uppermost part of the lobes extending to the thyroid cartilage and the lowermost part running around the fourth to sixth tracheal rings. The isthmus is divided into two lobes, each with its shape.
Hormones
It produces three hormones: two thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), as well as calcitonin (a peptide hormone) produced by the parathyroid gland. Thyroid hormones affect the rate of metabolism and protein synthesis in children, as well as their growth and development. TSH is produced by the anterior pituitary gland and regulates the secretion of the two thyroid hormones. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is a hormone that regulates the secretion of thyroid hormones 1 and 2. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) is a hormone produced by the hypothalamus and is in charge of regulating TSH levels.
At 3–4 weeks of pregnancy, the thyroid gland begins to form at the base of the tongue on the floor of the pharynx; it then descends in front of the pharyngeal gut and migrates to the base of the neck over the next few weeks. The thyroid is still connected to the tongue during migration by a narrow canal called the thyroglossal duct, which runs between the two organs. At the end of the fifth week, the thyroglossal duct begins to degenerate, and the detached thyroid migrates to its final position over the next two weeks.
Thyroid inflammation (thyroiditis), thyroid enlargement (goitre), thyroid nodules, and thyroid cancer are all conditions that can affect the thyroid gland in addition to hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which a person produces an excessive amount of thyroid hormones.
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid hormones are not secreted enough, and the most common cause is a lack of iodine in the diet. Hypothyroidism caused by iodine deficiency is the most common cause of preventable intellectual disability in children under the age of five in iodine-deficient areas. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disorder that affects people who live in iodine-deficient areas, is the most common cause of hypothyroidism.
Advances in the understanding of the thyroid, its biochemistry, and the disorders that can occur were made in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Many modern treatments and investigative modalities were developed during the mid-twentieth century, including the refinement of surgical techniques for thyroid removal (thyroidectomy) for the treatment of goitre, the use of radioactive iodine and thiouracil for the treatment of Graves’ disease, and fine-needle aspiration for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules.
Calcitonin
Calcitonin, a hormone produced by the thyroid gland, is important for maintaining healthy calcium levels in the blood. Parafollicular cells produce calcitonin in response to increased calcium levels in the blood. It works by inhibiting the activity of osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone, which slows the release of calcium from bone. Calcitonin is an effective stimulator of calcium transport into bone because the bone is constantly reabsorbed by osteoclasts and created by osteoblasts. The effects of calcitonin, which is produced by the parathyroid glands, are opposed to those of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Calcium metabolism remains clinically normal after thyroid removal (thyroidectomy), but not after removal of the parathyroid glands, indicating that calcitonin is far less important than parathyroid hormone (PTH).
Conclusion
In vertebrates, the thyroid, also known as the thyroid gland, is an endocrine gland. It is made up of two lobes that are connected and are found in the human neck. The thyroid isthmus, a thin band of tissue connecting the lower two-thirds of the lobes, was discovered during development. The thyroid gland is located in the front of the neck, below Adam’s apple. The spherical thyroid follicle, which is lined with follicular cells (thyrocytes) and occasional parafollicular cells and surrounds a lumen that contains colloid and can be seen under a microscope, represents the thyroid gland’s functional unit.