I. General Considerations of Thyroid Hormone Synthesis

Application of molecular techniques has greatly contributed to functional morphology in the field of thyroid pathology. These techniques can demonstrate expressions of the specific genes or proteins for thyroid cells including follicular cells and C cells. Therefore, they facilitate defining the spectrum of thyroid tumors. Recent studies showed that thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is identified for its critical roles in thyroid-specific gene expression in normal and neoplastic thyroids. On the other hand, it is suggested that angiostructure and angiogrowth factors can be associated with hormone production and tumor growth. In this article, recent studies on functional morphology of hormone production and angiogenesis in normal and neoplastic thyroid tissues using molecular techniques as well as conventional morphological approaches are reviewed.