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Thyroid Hormone Homeostasis

Meaning

Thyroid hormone homeostasis is the precise physiological mechanism that maintains stable, optimal concentrations of the active thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), within the circulation and at the level of target tissues. This delicate balance, regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, is crucial for regulating basal metabolic rate, body temperature, and the proper function of nearly every organ system. Disruptions to this equilibrium lead to clinical states of hypo- or hyperthyroidism.