Parafollicular cell
| Parafollicular cell | |
|---|---|
 Microscopic section of the thyroid showing follicles lined by follicular epithelial cells, and in between them larger parafollicular cells. | |
| Details | |
| Location | Thyroid |
| Function | Calcitonin secretion |
| Identifiers | |
| TH | H3.08.02.4.00009 |
| FMA | 68653 |
| Anatomical terms of microanatomy | |
Parafollicular cells, also called C cells, are
Structure
Parafollicular cells are pale-staining cells found in small number in the thyroid and are typically situated basally in the epithelium, without direct contact with the
Development
Parafollicular cells are derived from pharyngeal endoderm.[2][3] Embryologically, they associate with the ultimopharyngeal body, which is a ventral derivative of the fourth (or fifth) pharyngeal pouch. Parafollicular cells were previously believed to be derived from the neural crest based on a series of experiments in quail-chick chimeras.[4][5] However, lineage tracing experiments in mice revealed that parafollicular cells are derived from the endoderm origin.[6]
Function
Parafollicular cells secrete calcitonin, a hormone that participates in the regulation of calcium metabolism. Calcitonin lowers blood levels of calcium by inhibiting the resorption of bone by osteoclasts, and its secretion is increased proportionally with the concentration of calcium.[7]
Parafollicular cells are also known to secrete in smaller quantities several neuroendocrine peptides such as
Clinical significance
When parafollicular cells become cancerous, they lead to medullary carcinoma of the thyroid.[citation needed]
See also
- List of human cell types derived from the germ layers
- List of distinct cell types in the adult human body
References
- ^ "Parafollicular Cell - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics". www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
- PMID 27493881.
- ^ Johansson, E., Andersson, L., Örnros, J., Carlsson, T., Ingeson-Carlsson, C., Liang, S., … Nilsson, M. (2015). Revising the embryonic origin of thyroid C cells in mice and humans. Development, 142(20), 3519–3528. http://doi.org/10.1242/dev.126581
- S2CID 7551942.
- PMID 2461947.
- PMID 26395490.
- ISBN 978-1437703245.
- S2CID 7889687.
- PMID 3305802.
- PMID 7217200.
- PMID 2516877.
- PMID 19493188.
Further reading
- Kameda Y (October 1987). "Localization of immunoreactive calcitonin gene-related peptide in thyroid C cells from various mammalian species". The Anatomical Record. 219 (2): 204–12. S2CID 12517073.
- Kameda Y, Nishimaki T, Miura M, Jiang SX, Guillemot F (January 2007). "Mash1 regulates the development of C cells in mouse thyroid glands". Developmental Dynamics. 236 (1): 262–70. S2CID 24848963.
- Kameda Y, Nishimaki T, Chisaka O, Iseki S, Sucov HM (October 2007). "Expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin by thyroid C cells and their precursors during murine development". The Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry. 55 (10): 1075–88. PMID 17595340.
- Kameda Y, Ito M, Nishimaki T, Gotoh N (March 2009). "FRS2alpha is required for the separation, migration, and survival of pharyngeal-endoderm derived organs including thyroid, ultimobranchial body, parathyroid, and thymus". Developmental Dynamics. 238 (3): 503–13. S2CID 13504555.
- Kameda Y (March 2016). "Cellular and molecular events on the development of mammalian thyroid C cells". Developmental Dynamics. 245 (3): 323–41. S2CID 12161896.
- Baber EC (1876). "Contributions to the Minute Anatomy of the Thyroid Gland of the Dog". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. 166: 557–568. JSTOR 109205.
External links
- Histology image: 42_04 at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
- Histology image: 14302loa – Histology Learning System at Boston University
- Histology at KUMC endo-/endo10
- Anatomy Atlases – Microscopic Anatomy, plate 15.287