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Thyroglobulin Binding

Meaning

The process within the thyroid follicular cells where iodine is covalently attached to tyrosine residues on the large glycoprotein thyroglobulin, forming the precursor structure for the thyroid hormones, T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). This binding step, known as organification, is essential for the synthesis and subsequent storage of all thyroid hormones before their release into the circulation. A defect in this critical binding process leads to congenital or acquired forms of hypothyroidism.