The thyroid gland is an endocrine organ consisting of two symmetrical lobes attached to the anterior surface of the trachea in the neck. Each lobe of the thyroid gland is divided into lobules. These lobules are composed of follicles. The colloid substance inside the follicles is thyroglobulin. Thyroblobulin is a large glycoprotein composed of amino acids.
Thyroglobulin contains about 1% of iodine. In addition, each thyroglobulin carries three molecules of T4 and one molecule of T3 hormone. Production of thyroglobulin is stimulated by thyroid synthesis hormone (TSH). While TSH stimulates thyroid production, it also activates the thyroid production cycle by stimulating the thyroid peroxidase enzyme.
There is an effective activation of sodium-iodine in thyroid cells (thyrocytes). This sodium iodine activation has important functions in the production of thyroid hormones and thyroglobulin metabolism. Excess iodine or lithium in the blood suppresses thyroid hormones.
In thyroiditis, Graves’ disease or nodular goiter diseases, the concentration of thyroglobulin in the serum is increased. Because thyroglobulin can go out of the follicles in these cases. In addition, in many thyroid cancers such as follicular thyroid cancers, thyroglobulin is an important tumor marker in the blood.