Thyroxine

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Thyroid \Thy"roid\, a. [Gr. qyreoeidh`s shield-shaped; qyreo`s a
     large, oblong shield (from qy`ra a door) + e'i^dos form: cf.
     F. thyro["i]de, thyr['e]o["i]de.]
     1. Shaped like an oblong shield; shield-shaped; as, the
        thyroid cartilage.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the thyroid body, thyroid
        cartilage, or thyroid artery; thyroideal.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Thyroid cartilage}. See under {Larynx}.
  
     {Thyroid body}, or {Thyroid gland} (Anat.), an endocrine
        gland having two lobes, located in the floor of the mouth
        or the region of the larynx, which secretes two hormones
        ({thyroxine} and {triiodothyronine}) that regulate the
        rates of growth and metabloism. In man and most mammals it
        is a highly vascular organ, partly surrounding the base of
        the larynx and the upper part of the trachea. Cases of
        hypothyroidism, where the gland is insufficiently active,
        can be treated by administration of thyroxine or a
        combination of thyroxine and triiodothyronine.
  
     {Thyroid dislocation} (Surg.), dislocation of the thigh bone
        into the thyroid foramen.
  
     {Thyroid foramen}, the obturator foramen.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  thyroxine
       n : hormone produced by the thyroid glands to regulate
           metabolism by controlling the rate of oxidation in cells;
           "thyroxine is 65% iodine" [syn: {thyroxin}, {tetraiodothyronine},
            {T}]