Equipping People To Make Sense Of What They Are Told
The parathyroid glands are small endocrine glands in the neck which produce Parathyroid
hormone
The human body has four parathyroid glands usually located behind the thyroid gland,
and, in rare cases, within the thyroid gland or in the chest.
These glands control the amount of calcium in the blood and within the bones.
Parathyroid hormone regulates serum calcium levels through its effects on:
Bone - It enhances the release of calcium from the large reservoir contained in
the bones.5 Bone resorption is the normal destruction of bone by osteoclasts, which
are indirectly stimulated by PTH. Stimulation is indirect as osteoclasts do not have
a receptor for PTH.
Kidney - It enhances active reabsorption of calcium and magnesium from distal tubules
and the thick ascending limb of the nephron.
Intestine - It enhances the absorption of calcium in the intestine by increasing
the production of activated vitamin D. Vitamin D
