DE ASIS, DOROTHY RICA G.

BS BIOLOGY November 07, 2016 Biology 160

PRODUCTION OF THYROID HORMONE AND ITS CONTROL

a. Briefly explain the concept

The concept I will be discussing about is the production of thyroid hormone and its control.
There is an unusual, multistage process that occurs in the thyrocytes which involve production,
storage and secretion; both with an endocrine and exocrine phase. The phases are promoted by
Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone and occur in the same cell. The major activities include the
production of thyroglobulin similar to that in other glycoprotein-exporting cells, with synthesis
in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and glycosylation in the Golgi apparatus. Thyroglobulin has
no hormonal activity itself but contains 140 tyrosyl residues critical for thyroid hormone
synthesis. The glycoprotein is released as an exocrine product from apical vesicles of thyrocytes
into the follicular lumen; second is the iodide uptake from the blood by Na/I symporters (NIS) in
the thyrocytes’ basolateral cell membranes, which allows for 30-fold concentration of dietary
iodide in thyroid tissue relative to plasma. Decreased levels of circulating iodide trigger
synthesis of NIS, increasing iodide uptake and compensating for the lower plasma
concentration. An apical iodide/chloride transporter (also called pendrin) pumps I - from
thyrocytes into the colloid.; third is iodination of tyrosyl residues in thyroglobulin with either
one or two atoms occurs in the colloid after oxidation of iodide to iodine by membrane-bound
thyroid peroxidase on the microvilli surfaces of thyrocytes; fourth is formation of T 3 and T4
which occurs as two iodinated tyrosines, still part of colloidal thyroglobulin, which are
covalently conjugated in coupling reactions; fifth is endocytosis of iodinated thyroglobulin by
the thyrocytes involves both fluid-phase pinocytosis and receptor-mediated endocytosis. The
endocytic vesicles fuse with lysosomes, and the thyroglobulin is thoroughly degraded by
lysosomal proteases, freeing active thyroid hormone as both T3 and T4; and sixth is Secretion of
T4 and T3 at the basolateral domains of thyrocytes occur in an endocrine manner: both
molecules are immediately taken up by capillaries.

b. Give its significance to medicine

The production of thyroid hormone is important because it is essential to proper development

and differentiation of all cells of the human body. These hormones also regulate protein, fat,
and carbohydrate metabolism, and it affects humans’ overall usage of energetic compounds. It
also helps in the stimulation of vitamin metabolism. These thyroid hormones act to increase the
basal metabolic rate, affect protein synthesis, help regulate bone growth and neural
maturation, and increase the body’s sensitivity to catecholamines. It also plays an important
role in the hibernation cycles of mammals and the molting behavior or birds.

c. Give an application of the concept.

If there is iodine deficiency, there is a lack of iodine production. The lack of thyroid hormone
will decrease negative feedback to the pituitary, leading to increased production of thyroid-
stimulating hormone and causes the thyroid to enlarge (goiter). Hyperthyroidism is caused by
an excess of circulating free thyroxine or free triiodothyronine. On the other hand,
hypothyroidism, is the case where there is a deficiency of thyroxine or triiodothyronine.