The parathyroid glands are four tiny glands, located in the neck, that control the body's calcium levels.
1 Parathyroid hormone regulates the body’s calcium levels. 2  There are four parathyroid glands, and they are each about the size of a grain of rice. 3  Though they’re located near each other, the parathyroid glands are not related to the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland regulates the body’s metabolism, while parathyroid glands regulate calcium levels and have no effect on metabolism. Parathyroid Hormone. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) has a very powerful influence on the cells of your bones by causing them to release their calcium into the bloodstream. The parathyroid glands are four tiny glands, located in the neck, that control the body's calcium levels. Each gland is about the size of a grain of rice (weighs approximately 30 milligrams and is 3-4 millimeters in diameter). PTHPTH-parathyroid hormone raises the blood calcium level by: 1  breaking down the bone (where most of the body's calcium is stored) and causing calcium release. 2  increasing the body's ability to absorb calcium from food. About the Parathyroid Glands. The body has four parathyroid glands that are located just behind the thyroid gland (which is the center of the neck at the front). They have nothing to do with the function of the thyroid. (PARA is derived from a Greek word meaning beside, alongside of, by.) The parathyroid glands are small endocrine glands in the neck of humans and other tetrapods that produce parathyroid hormone. Humans usually have four parathyroid glands, variably located on the back of the thyroid gland, although considerable variation exists. Parathyroid hormone and calcitonin (one of the hormones made by the thyroid gland) have key roles in regulating the amount of calcium in the blood and within the bones. The parathyroid glands are two pairs of glands usually positioned behind the left and right lobes of the thyroid. Each gland is a yellowish-brown flat ovoid that resembles a lentil seed, usually about 6 mm long and 3 to 4 mm wide, and 1 to 2 mm anteroposteriorly. The parathyroids produce a hormone called parathyroid hormone (PTH). PTHPTH-parathyroid hormone raises the blood calcium level by: 1  breaking down the bone (where most of the body's calcium is stored) and causing calcium release. 2  increasing the body's ability to absorb calcium from food. Parathyroid Glands: Essentials. 1  Parathyroid hormone regulates the body’s calcium levels. 2  There are four parathyroid glands, and they are each about the size of a grain of rice. 3  Though they’re located near each other, the parathyroid glands are not related to the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland regulates the body’s metabolism, while parathyroid glands regulate calcium levels and have no effect on metabolism. Parathyroid Hormone. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) has a very powerful influence on the cells of your bones by causing them to release their calcium into the bloodstream. Normal parathyroid glands work like the thermostat in your home to keep blood calcium levels in a very tightly controlled range. When the blood calcium level is too low, PTH is released to bring the calcium level back up to normal. PTHPTH-parathyroid hormone raises the blood calcium level by: 1  breaking down the bone (where most of the body's calcium is stored) and causing calcium release. 2  increasing the body's ability to absorb calcium from food. The parathyroid glands are most often found behind the thyroid gland in the neck. The parathyroid glands control the level of calcium in the blood by making parathyroid hormone (PTH). This is a chemical messenger that tells the body how to control calcium.  Learn what parathyroid glands are, where the parathyroid glands are located, and how the parathyroid glands control our calcium levels. Parathyroid Overview starts on this page. Hyperparathyroidism is introduced. Regulation of blood calcium is discussed along with the meaning of high blood calcium. The Role of the Parathyroid Glands -- to Regulate Calcium. The ONLY purpose of the parathyroid glands is to regulate the calcium level in our bodies within a very narrow range so that the nervous and muscular systems can function properly. This is all they do.
http://www.endocrineweb.com/endocrinology/overview-parathyroid http://endocrinediseases.org/parathyroid/parathyroid_background.shtml http://empoweryourhealth.org/parathyroid-gland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parathyroid_gland http://endocrinediseases.org/parathyroid/parathyroid_background.shtml http://www.endocrineweb.com/endocrinology/overview-parathyroid http://endocrinediseases.org/parathyroid/parathyroid_background.shtml http://www.diabetes.uc.edu/health/parathyroiddisorders.aspx http://www.parathyroid.com/parathyroid.htm
what does parathyroid gland do