EMBRYOLOGY OF THE THYROID AND

PARATHYROID GLANDS

By: Mihretu J.
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE THYROID GLAND
The thyroid gland is the first endocrine gland to develop in the
embryo.
It begins to form approximately 24 days after fertilization from a
median endodermal thickening in the floor of the primordial pharynx.
This thickening soon forms a small outpouching-the thyroid
primordium.
As the embryo and tongue grow, the developing thyroid gland
descends in the neck, passing ventral to the developing hyoid bone
and laryngeal cartilages.
For a short time, the thyroid gland is connected to the tongue by a
narrow tube, the thyroglossal duct.
At first the thyroid primordium is hollow, but soon becomes a solid
mass of cells and divides into right and left lobes that are connected
by the isthmus of the thyroid gland, which lies anterior to the
developing second and third tracheal rings.
 By 7 weeks, the thyroid gland has assumed its definitive
shape and is usually located in its final site in the neck.
By this time, the thyroglossal duct has normally
degenerated and disappeared.
The proximal opening of the thyroglossal duct persists as
a small pit in the dorsum of the tongue-the foramen
cecum.
A pyramidal lobe of the thyroid gland extends superiorly
from the isthmus in approximately 50% of people.
The parafollicular cells or C cells are derived from the
ultimobranchial body which are responsible for the
synthesis of calcitonin.
A: 4th week Thyroid Diverticulum
B:7th week-Thyroid gland migrates inferiorly
C:By fetal stage -the thyroid has attained its normal
adult position
 Congenital Hypothyroidism
The primary cause of congenital hypothyroidism is a
derangement in the development of the thyroid gland
rather than central causes related to the hypothalamic-
pituitary axis.

Thyroglossal Duct Cysts and Sinuses

Cysts may form anywhere along the course of the
thyroglossal duct.
Normally, the thyroglossal duct atrophies and disappears,
but a remnant of it may persist and form a cyst in the
tongue or in the anterior part of the neck, usually just
inferior to the hyoid bone.
 Most thyroglossal duct cysts are observed by the
age of 5 years.
Unless the lesions become infected, most of them
are asymptomatic.
The swelling produced by a thyroglossal duct cyst
usually develops as a painless, progressively
enlarging, movable mass.
The cyst may contain some thyroid tissue.
After infection of a cyst, a perforation of the skin
occurs, forming a thyroglossal duct sinus that
usually opens in the median plane of the neck,
anterior to the laryngeal cartilages.
Ectopic Thyroid Gland
An ectopic thyroid gland is an infrequent
congenital anomaly and is usually located
along the course of the thyroglossal duct.
It is clinically important to differentiate an
ectopic thyroid gland from a thyroglossal duct
cyst or accessory thyroid tissue to prevent
inadvertent surgical removal of the thyroid
gland.
 Accessory Thyroid Tissue
Accessory thyroid tissue may also appear in the thymus
inferior to the thyroid gland.
Although this tissue may be functional, it is often of
insufficient size to maintain normal function if the thyroid
gland is removed.
Accessory thyroid tissue may also develop in the neck lateral
to the thyroid cartilage.
It usually lies on the thyrohyoid muscle.
Accessory thyroid tissue originates from remnants of the
thyroglossal duct.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PARATHYROID GLAND
The parathyroid glands are derived from the pharyngeal
pouchesthe superior glands from the fourth pouch and the
inferior glands from the third pouch.
Their embryonic migration to the developing thyroid gland is
sometimes misdirected so that the number and locations of
the glands are somewhat variable.
Up to 10% of individuals may have parathyroid tissue attached
to the thymus in the mediastinnem, which originates from the
same pharyngeal pouches.