Endocrine Abstracts

Thyroid hormones (THs) play a critical role in the regulation of growth and development in both animals and humans. They regulate metabolism primarily through actions in the brain, white fat, brown fat, skeletal muscle, liver and pancreas. Therefore, it is not surprising that since a long time scientists have been interested in measuring TH concentration in different tissues and to relate this value with possible dysfunctions. In general, TH levels are measured by immunoassay ...

The placenta is a highly specialized organ, which ensures nutrient uptake, waste elimination, provides thermo-regulation, prevents passage of some xenobiotic molecules and regulates the quantity of thyroid hormones (TH) necessary for the fetal development. It is known, that even minor changes in maternal TH levels, can alter the fetal growth. Several factors can modify TH levels during pregnancy. Among them, increasing evidences show that prenatal exposure to persistent organi...