Thyroid diverticulum

Thyroid diverticulum is a term used in embryology to describe the initial stage of thyroid development in the human body. The thyroid diverticulum, also known as the thyroid bud, is an outpouching of the endodermal lining of the pharynx, which eventually gives rise to the thyroid gland.

Etymology

The term "diverticulum" is derived from the Latin word "diverticulum" which means "a bypath" or "a side channel". The term "thyroid" is derived from the Greek word "thyreoeides" which means "shield-shaped", referring to the shape of the thyroid gland.

Development

The thyroid gland begins its development as the thyroid diverticulum during the fourth week of embryonic development. It originates from the endodermal lining of the median part of the pharyngeal floor, between the first and second pharyngeal pouches. The diverticulum then descends in front of the pharyngeal gut as a bilobed diverticulum.

As the diverticulum descends, it remains connected to the tongue by a narrow tube known as the thyroglossal duct. Eventually, the thyroglossal duct degenerates and the thyroid diverticulum loses its connection with the tongue. The thyroid diverticulum continues to descend until it reaches its final position in the neck, where it develops into the mature thyroid gland.

Related Terms

• Endoderm: The innermost layer of the cells or tissue of an embryo in early development.
• Pharyngeal pouches: Outpouchings of the pharyngeal endoderm that give rise to various structures in the head and neck.
• Thyroglossal duct: A tube that connects the developing thyroid gland to the tongue during embryonic development.
• Thyroid gland: A butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck that produces thyroid hormones.

See Also

• Thyroid
• Embryology
• Endocrine system

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