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Endocrine gland:- thyroid and parathyroids, location and functions
Thyroid and Parathyroid glands, their location in the body and functions
The thyroid, located in the front part of the lower neck, is shaped like a bow tie or butterfly and produces the thyroid hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine.
It produces thyroid hormones that regulate the body's metabolism. It also plays a role in bone growth and development of the brain and nervous system in children. The pituitary gland controls the release of thyroid hormones.
The major thyroid hormone secreted by the thyroid gland is thyroxine, also called T4 because it contains four iodine atoms. To exert its effects, T4 is converted to triiodothyronine (T3) by the removal of an iodine atom. This occurs mainly in the liver and in certain tissues where T3 acts, such as in the brain.
Thyroid hormones also help maintain normal blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, muscle tone, and reproductive functions and they help kids' and teens' bones grow and develop, and they also play a role in the development of the brain and nervous system in kids.
The parathyroid glands are two pairs of small glands embedded in the surface of the thyroid gland, one pair on each side. They release parathyroid hormone, which plays a role in regulating calcium levels in the blood and bone metabolism with the help of calcitonin which is produced in the thyroid.
