Anatomy study note · Head and neck

Parathyroid glands

Usually four small ovoid endocrine glands, about 6 mm long, on the posterior border of the thyroid gland within its fascial capsule.

Key points

• Four glands on the back of the thyroid, inside its capsule.
• Superior pair constant; inferior pair variable (may reach the mediastinum).
• PTH raises blood calcium (bone, gut, kidney).
• Inferior parathyroids: 3rd pouch (with the thymus). Superior: 4th pouch.
• Order reversed during descent.
• Chief cells → PTH (raises calcium).
• Oxyphil cells: eosinophilic, function unknown.
• Removing the glands → tetany.

The full note in the atlas also covers

Location · Features · Blood supply · Venous drainage · Nerve supply · Lymph drainage · Histology · Development · Clinical notes

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Written from

• Snell’s Clinical Anatomy by Regions, 10th ed., ch. 12, PDF pp. 1815, 1822–1823
• Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology, ch. 9, PDF pp. 128–129
• BRS Cell Biology & Histology, 7th ed., ch. 13, PDF pp. 243–244

More from the head and neck

• Parietal bone
• Parietal lobe
• Parotid gland
• Pharyngeal constrictors
• Pharynx
• Phrenic nerve
• Pineal body
• Piriform cortex
• Pituitary gland
• Platysma
• Pons
• Postcentral gyrus

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