Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026

In vivo Characterization of Endocrine Disrupting Chemical Effects via Thyroid Hormone Action Indicator Mouse
Published on: October 6, 2023
Adaptive activation of thyroid hormone and energy expenditure
Antonio C Bianco1, Ana Luiza Maia, Wagner Seixas da Silva
1Thyroid Section, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, HIM Bldg. #643, Massachusetts, Boston, MA 02115, USA. abianco@partners.org
Abstract:
The mechanisms by which thyroid hormone accelerates energy expenditure are poorly understood. In the brown adipose tissue (BAT), activation of thyroid hormone by type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase (D2) has been known to play a role in adaptive energy expenditure during cold exposure in human newborns and other small mammals. Although BAT is not present in significant amounts in normal adult humans, recent studies have found substantial amounts of D2 in skeletal muscle, a metabolically relevant tissue in humans. This article reviews current biological knowledge about D2 and adaptive T3 production and their roles in energy expenditure.
Related Concept Videos
Functions of Thyroid Hormones
TH is indispensable for the normal development and maturation of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems during fetal and childhood growth. It facilitates bone mineral turnover and regulates protein synthesis in developing tissues, contributing significantly to overall growth and...
Synthesis and Regulation of Thyroid Hormones
Upon reaching the thyroid gland, TSH stimulates the follicular cells' active uptake of iodide ions from the blood. The ions diffuse to the apical surface of the cells and are oxidized to iodine. The iodine is then...
Hyperthyroidism II: Pathophysiology
Hyperthyroidism I: Introduction
Thermoregulation
Graves Disease II: Pathophysiology
