Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 15, 2026
Three Different Protocols of Corneal Collagen Crosslinking in Keratoconus: Conventional, Accelerated and Iontophoresis
Published on: November 12, 2015
Role of Thyroxine in the Development of Keratoconus
Solon Thanos1, Patrick Oellers, Melissa Meyer Zu Hörste
1*Institute of Experimental Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; †Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; ‡Institute of Regenerative Medicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; and §Department of Ophthalmology, Saarland University Medical Center UKS, Homburg, Germany.
Purpose:
Keratoconus (KC) is a corneal ectasia whose pathophysiology is still mostly unknown. We investigated whether thyroid gland dysfunction (TGD) is associated with the development of KC.
Methods:
We first conducted an epidemiological study, examining the prevalence of TGD among patients with KC. Then, we compared tear thyroxine (T4) in TGD and immunohistochemical staining of its receptors (T4Rs) between patients with KC and controls. The significance of T4 for corneal metabolism was studied in organotypic tissue cultures from monkey corneas.
Results:
We found that TGD prevalence among patients with KC is 13.6%, which is higher than its prevalence in the general population (about 2%). Tear T4 was higher in KC, and keratocyte T4Rs were elevated in KC compared with controls. Furthermore, core proteins such as collagen and cytokeratins were equally altered both in KC and in the cultured corneas substituted with T4.
Conclusions:
Our data implicate a crucial role of T4 in KC pathophysiology, which is most likely mediated by T4Rs.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Functions 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...
01:20Synthesis 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...
01:23The Thyroid Gland
The follicles have a central cavity lined by simple cuboidal to squamous epithelial cells called follicular cells. These cells produce the glycoprotein...
01:17Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
00:51Synthesis and Functions of Calcitonin
The exact mechanisms by which calcitonin operates in calcium homeostasis remain elusive, but its significance is evident in several vital...
01:23Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin...