The thyroid accumulates most absorbed iodine, keeping it for use to synthesize thyroid hormone. The following video shows the thyroid and describes its function.
| Web Link |
As mentioned in the video, the two primary forms of thyroid hormone are triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4).
Figure 10.111 The structure of triiodothyronine (T3)1
Figure 10.112 The structure of thyroxine (T4)2
T4 is the primary circulating form, and is really a prohormone that is converted to the active T3 form.
The enzymes that metabolize thyroid hormones are known as deiodinases. There are three deiodinases (Type I , Type II, Type III) that are selenoenzymes whose location and function are summarized in the table below.
Table 10.11 Location and function of the three deiodinases
| Enzyme | Tissues | Function |
| Deiodinase Type I (DI1) | Liver, kidney, thyroid gland | Plasma T3 production |
| Deiodinase Type II (DI2) | Brain, pituitary, brown adipose | Local T3 production |
| Deiodinase Type III (DI3) | Brain, placenta | T3 degradation |
Thyroid hormone regulates the basal metabolic rate and is important for growth and development. Thyroid hormone is particularly important for brain development, but hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone) also leads to decreased muscle mass and skeletal development3.
References & Links
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Triiodothyronine.svg
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Thyroxine.svg
3. Stipanuk MH. (2006) Biochemical, physiological, & molecular aspects of human nutrition. St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.
Video
Thyroid – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V0HB4cKIMw
