Endocrine Abstracts

The abnormal expression of miRNAs has been linked to the development of multiple tumors, including thyroid tumors 1,2. Dicer1 is an essential enzyme for the biogenesis of microRNAs that has been found to be dysregulated in various cancers, notably, its expression is decreased in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) 3,4. Multiple studies suggest Dicer1 as haploinsufficient tumor suppressor gene: while the loss of one allele promotes tumorigenesis, the complet...

The human thyroid gland acquires a differentiation program as early as weeks 3–4 of embryonic development. The onset of functional differentiation, which manifests by the appearance of colloid in thyroid follicles, takes place during gestation weeks10–11. By 12–13 weeks functional differentiation is accomplished and the thyroid is capable of producing thyroid hormones although at a low level. During maturation, thyroid hormones yield increases and physiological ...