thyroid gland

gland (gland) an aggregation of cells specialized to secrete or excrete materials not related to their ordinary metabolic needs.

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accessory gland  a minor mass of glandular tissue near or at some distance from a gland of similar structure.

accessory adrenal glands  adrenal glandular tissue, usually either cortical or medullary, found in the abdomen or pelvis.

adrenal gland  suprarenal gland; a flattened body above either kidney, consisting of a cortex and a medulla, the former elaborating steroid hormones, and the latter epinephrine and norepinephrine.

aggregate glands , aggregated glands Peyer's patches.

apocrine gland  one whose discharged secretion contains part of the secreting cells; particularly used to denote an apocrine sweat gland.

apocrine sweat gland  a type of large, branched, specialized sweat gland, after puberty producing a viscous secretion that is acted on by bacteria to produce a characteristic acrid odor.

axillary glands  lymph nodes situated in the axilla.

Bartholin's gland  greater vestibular g.

biliary glands , glands of biliary mucosa tubuloalveolar glands in the mucosa of the bile ducts and the neck of the gallbladder.

Blandin's glands  anterior lingual g's.

bronchial glands  seromucous glands in the mucosa and submucosa of bronchial walls.

Bruch's glands  lymph follicles in the conjunctiva of lower lid.

Brunner's glands  duodenal g's.

bulbocavernous gland , bulbourethral gland one of two glands embedded in the substance of the sphincter of the urethra, posterior to the membranous part of the urethra.

cardiac glands  mucin-secreting glands of the cardiac part (cardia) of the stomach.

celiac glands  lymph nodes anterior to the abdominal aorta.

ceruminous glands  cerumen-secreting glands in the skin of the external auditory canal.

cervical glands of uterus  compound clefts in the wall of the uterine cervix.

ciliary glands  sweat glands that have become arrested in their development, located at the edges of the eyelids.

circumanal glands  specialized sweat and sebaceous glands around the anus.

closed glands  endocrine g's.

coccygeal gland  glomus coccygeum.

compound gland  one made up of a number of smaller units whose excretory ducts combine to form ducts of progressively higher order.

Cowper's gland  bulbourethral g.

ductless gland  one without a duct, of internal secretion; see endocrine g's.

duodenal glands  glands in the submucosa of the duodenum, opening into the glands of the small intestine.

Ebner's glands  serous glands at the back of the tongue near the taste buds.

eccrine gland , eccrine sweat gland one of the ordinary, or simple, sweat glands, which is of the merocrine type.

endocrine glands  organs whose secretions (hormones) are released directly into the circulatory system; they include the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands, the pineal body, and the gonads.

exocrine gland  one whose secretion is discharged through a duct opening on an internal or external surface of the body.

fundic glands , fundus glands tubular glands in the mucosa of the fundus and body of the stomach, containing acid- and pepsin-secreting cells.

Galeati's glands  duodenal g's.

gastric glands  the secreting glands of the stomach, including the fundic, cardiac, and pyloric glands.

Gay's glands  circumanal g's.

glossopalatine glands  mucous glands at the posterior end of the smaller sublingual glands.

haversian glands  synovial villi.

holocrine gland  one whose discharged secretion contains the entire secreting cells.

intestinal glands  straight tubular glands in the mucous membrane of the intestine, opening, in the small intestine, between the bases of the villi, and containing argentaffin cells.

jugular gland  accessory lacrimal glands deep in the conjunctival connective tissue, mainly near the upper fornix.

lacrimal gland  either of a pair of glands that secrete tears.

glands of Lieberkühn  intestinal g's.

lingual glands  the seromucous glands on the surface of the tongue.

lingual glands, anterior  the deeply placed seromucous glands near the apex of the tongue.

Littre's glands 

1. preputial g's.

2. urethral g's (male).

lymph gland  see under node.

mammary gland  the specialized gland of the skin of female mammals, which secretes milk for nourishment of the young.

Glandula mammaria (mammary gland).

meibomian glands  sebaceous follicles between the cartilage and conjunctiva of eyelids.

merocrine gland  one in which the secretory cells maintain their integrity throughout the secretory cycle.

mixed glands 

1. seromucous g's.

2. glands that have both exocrine and endocrine portions.

monoptychial gland  one in which the tubules or alveoli are lined with a single layer of secreting cells.

Morgagni's glands  urethral g's (male).

mucous gland  a gland that secretes mucus.

nabothian glands  see under follicle.

Nuhn's glands  anterior lingual g's.

olfactory glands  small mucous glands in the olfactory mucosa.

parathyroid glands  small bodies in the region of the thyroid gland, developed from the endoderm of the branchial clefts, occurring in a variable number of pairs, commonly two; they secrete parathyroid hormone and are concerned chiefly with the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus.

paraurethral glands  see paraurethral ducts of female urethra and paraurethral ducts of male urethra, under duct.

parotid gland  the largest of the three paired salivary glands, located in front of the ear.

Peyer's glands  see under patch.

pharyngeal glands  mucous glands beneath the tunica mucosa of the pharynx.

pineal gland  see under body.

pituitary gland  hypophysis; the epithelial body of dual origin at the base of the brain in the sella turcica, attached by a stalk to the hypothalamus. It consists of two main lobes, the anterior lobe or adenohypophysis, secreting most of the hormones, and the posterior lobe or neurohypophysis, which stores and releases neurohormones received from the hypothalamus.

preputial glands  small sebaceous glands of the corona of the penis and the inner surface of the prepuce, which secrete smegma.

proper gastric glands  fundic g's.

prostate gland  prostate.

pyloric glands  the mucin-secreting glands of the pyloric part of the stomach.

racemose glands  glands composed of acini arranged like grapes on a stem.

saccular gland  one consisting of a sac or sacs, lined with glandular epithelium.

salivary glands  glands of the oral cavity whose combined secretion constitutes the saliva, including the parotid, sublingual, and submandibular glands and numerous small glands in the tongue, lips, cheeks, and palate.

Salivary glands.

sebaceous gland  one of the holocrine glands in the dermis that secrete sebum.

seromucous gland  one containing both serous and mucous secreting cells.

serous gland  a gland that secretes a watery albuminous material, commonly but not always containing enzymes.

sex gland  gonad.

simple gland  one with a nonbranching duct.

Skene's glands  paraurethral ducts of female urethra.

solitary glands  see under follicle.

submandibular gland , submaxillary gland a salivary gland on the inner side of each ramus of the lower jaw.

suprarenal gland  adrenal g.

Suzanne's gland  a mucous gland of the mouth, beneath the alveolingual groove.

sweat gland  a gland that secretes sweat, found in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue, opening by a duct on the body surface. The ordinary or eccrine sweat glands are distributed over most of the body surface, and promote cooling by evaporation of the secretion; the apocrine sweat glands empty into the upper portion of a hair follicle instead of directly onto the skin, and are found only in certain body areas, as around the anus and in the axilla.

target gland  one specifically affected by a pituitary hormone.

tarsal glands , tarsoconjunctival glands meibomian g's.

thymus gland  see thymus.

thyroid gland  an endocrine gland consisting of two lobes, one on each side of the trachea, joined by a narrow isthmus, producing hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine), which require iodine for their elaboration and which are concerned in regulating metabolic rate; it also secretes calcitonin.

Tyson's glands  preputial g's.

unicellular gland  a single cell that functions as a gland, e.g., a goblet cell.

urethral glands  mucous glands in the wall of the urethra.

uterine glands  simple tubular glands found throughout the endometrium.

vesical glands  mucous glands sometimes found in the wall of the urinary bladder, especially in the area of the trigone.

vestibular gland, greater  Bartholin's gland: either of two small reddish yellow bodies in the vestibular bulbs, one on each side of the vaginal orifice.

vestibular glands, lesser  small mucous glands opening upon the vestibular mucous membrane between the urethral and the vaginal orifice.

Virchow's gland  sentinel node.

vulvovaginal gland  Bartholin's g.

Waldeyer's glands  glands in the attached edge of the eyelid.

Weber's glands  the tubular mucous glands of the tongue.

glands of Zeis  modified rudimentary sebaceous glands attached directly to the eyelash follicles.

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thyroid gland n. A two-lobed endocrine gland located in front of and on either side of the trachea and producing various hormones, such as calcitonin.

thyroid gland anterior view of thyroid gland

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Thyroid gland

A butterfly-shaped gland in front and to the sides of the upper part of the windpipe; influences body processes like growth, development, reproduction, and metabolism.

Mentioned in: Thyroid Function Tests

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thyroid gland

Etymology: Gk, thyreos, shield, eidos, form

a highly vascular organ at the front of the neck, usually weighing about 30 g, consisting of bilateral lobes connected in the middle by a narrow isthmus. It is slightly heavier in women than in men and enlarges during pregnancy. The majority of the thyroid gland secretes the hormones thyroxin and triiodothyronine, and other clusters of cells produce the hormone calcitonin. These hormones are secreted directly into the blood; thus the thyroid is part of the endocrine system of ductless glands. It is essential to normal body growth in infancy and childhood, and its removal greatly reduces the oxidative processes of the body, producing a lower metabolic rate characteristic of hypothyroidism. The thyroid gland is activated by the pituitary thyrotrophic hormone and requires iodine to elaborate thyroxine. Also called thyroid. Compare parathyroid gland.

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thyroid gland,

n a highly vascular organ at the front of the neck, consisting of bilateral lobes connected in the middle by a narrow isthmus. The thyroid gland secretes the hormone thyroxine directly into the blood. It is essential to normal body growth in infancy and childhood. It also regulates the metabolic rate in adults.

Thyroid gland.

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thyroid

1. resembling a shield.

2. the thyroid gland (see below) secreting thyroid hormones (see below).

3. a pharmaceutical preparation of cleaned, dried, powdered thyroid gland, obtained from those domesticated animals used for food by humans.

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accessory thyroid

an additional thyroid located anywhere from the larynx to diaphragm, e.g. intrapericordial aorta; may be sufficient to supply the patient's need of thyroid hormone. Most common in dogs.

thyroid C cell

see c cell.

thyroid cartilage

the shield-shaped cartilage of the larynx.

thyroid diverticulum

primordium of the thyroid gland; appears as an outgrowth of the foregut between the first two pharyngeal pouches. This tube of epithelial cells grows ventrally into mesenchyme; the tube becomes the thyroglossal duct, the tip divides into two lobes, the thyroid glands.

thyroid dysfunction

see hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism.

ectopic thyroid

migration of thyroid diverticulum tissue to aberrant sites occurs, e.g. thyroid tissue in the thymus. These cause no apparent abnormality.

thyroid extract

a pharmaceutical substance derived from thyroid glands, used in the treatment of hypothyroidism. See thyroid (3) (above).

thyroid function tests

used to assess the functional capacity of the thyroid glands; most commonly employed in dogs and cats. Include plasma T₄, plasma T₃, free T₄ radioiodine uptake, and TSH response tests.

thyroid gland

the largest of the endocrine glands, situated in the neck caudal to the larynx. It produces hormones (see below) that are vital in maintaining normal growth and metabolism. It also serves as a storehouse for iodine.

Microscopic appearance of the thyroid gland. By permission from Guyton R, Hall JE, Textbook of Medical Physiology, Saunders, 2000

thyroid hormones

iodothyronines secreted by the thyroid gland, principally thyroxine (tetraiodothyronine, T₄) and tri-iodothyronine (T₃); derived from iodination of tyrosyl residues in thyroglobulin. The pharmaceutical names for T₄ and T₃ are levothyroxine and liothyronine, respectively. Regulate basal metabolic rate.

thyroid parafollicular cell

see c cell.

thyroid radioiodine uptake

used as a thyroid function test but superseded these days by estimates of T₄ (thyroxine).

thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

see thyrotropin.

thyroid tumor

mostly follicular adenomas in old-aged dogs, cats and horses; papillary adenomas are rare.

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Patient discussion about thyroid gland.

Q. Has anyone tried natural hormones for hypo-thyroidism or fibromyalgia? I am on the low normal range for hypo-thyroidism (do not take meds for) and was diagnosed years ago with fibromyalgia. I take Ultram for the pain which also helps my fatigue factor but I still feel so sluggish sometimes and just want to sleep. I'm on an anti-depressant as it is. I've been hearing more about natural hormone therapy for these conditions and was wondering if anyone out there has tried this.

A. The Ultram and the anti-depressants do that and as for the natural hormone treatments they don't really work. The Gulf War that gave me hypo-thyroid and hypo-prolactimia which is the Pituitary Gland acting up. On top of the fibro,fatique,pain and recovering from arsenic poison I was put on hormone treatments and it made things worse. I blew up like a balloon, I was still tired and it never corrected the problem with my glands. I tried everything out there and I wasn't getting any better until now. A friend of mine told me of this product called Vitalitea and that it could help me.I was desperate to get my health back and boy did I. Go to Ai3global.com/greentea and click on product and wellness and read it. Check out the www on the healing properties of quality green tea and not the stuff you by at the local store. My fatique, and chronic pain is gone. My Fibromyalgia is so, so mild. I do fun things again after 7 year of suffering. You won't regret it. It is all natural.

Q. What Are the Symptoms of Hypothyroidism? My friend suffers from hypothyroidism. I have been feeling tired lately and she told me I should get examined too. What are the symptoms of this disease?

A. Hypothyroidism is a situation that can mimic a number of other medical conditions. Therefore, the diagnosis of hypothyroidism is often missed. Among the common symptoms are fatigue (especially due to poor muscle tone), Cold intoleranc(increased sensitivity to cold), constipation, weight gain, dry skin, slow heart rate and more. This can be easily treated with hormonal replacement after proper medical consultation.

Q. Anyone know if there is a connection between Fibromyalgia and your Thyroid gland? I have Fibromyalgia and I read that if your diagnosed with this you can have Thyroid problems also. If anyone knows out there please inform me. Many thanks.

A. Below is an interesting article on the subject. A significant percentage of the estimated 20 million people with hypothyroidism end up also being diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Some experts believe that like most cases of hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia is also autoimmune in nature. Others believe that fibromyalgia may be one manifestation of an under active metabolism – hypometabolism – and is therefore one variation on thyroid dysfunction.
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/fibromyalgiacfs/a/fibrothyroid.htm