Parathyroid glands | |
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![]() Diagram showing structures in the human neck. The four green shaded areas represent the most common position of the parathyroid glands, which are generally four in number and situated behind the lateral lobes of the thyroid gland (shaded orange). | |
![]() Thyroid and parathyroids as viewed from the front of the neck | |
Details | |
Precursor | Neural crest mesenchyme and third and fourth pharyngeal pouch endoderm |
System | Endocrine |
Artery | Superior thyroid artery, inferior thyroid artery, |
Vein | Superior thyroid vein, middle thyroid vein, inferior thyroid vein, |
Nerve | Middle cervical ganglion, inferior cervical ganglion |
Lymph | Pretracheal, prelaryngeal, jugulodigastric lymph nodes |
Identifiers | |
Latin | glandula parathyreoidea inferior, glandula parathyreoidea superior |
MeSH | D010280 |
TA98 | A11.4.00.001 |
TA2 | 3870 |
FMA | 13890 |
Anatomical terminology |
Parathyroid glands are small endocrine glands in the neck of humans and other tetrapods. Humans usually have four parathyroid glands, located on the back of the thyroid gland in variable locations. The parathyroid gland produces and secretes parathyroid hormone in response to low blood calcium, which plays a key role in regulating the amount of calcium in the blood and within the bones.
Parathyroid glands share a similar blood supply, venous drainage, and lymphatic drainage to the thyroid glands. Parathyroid glands are derived from the epithelial lining of the third and fourth pharyngeal pouches, with the superior glands arising from the fourth pouch and the inferior glands arising from the higher third pouch. The relative position of the inferior and superior glands, which are named according to their final location, changes because of the migration of embryological tissues.
Hyperparathyroidism and hypoparathyroidism, characterized by alterations in the blood calcium levels and bone metabolism, are states of either surplus or deficient parathyroid function.