Parathyroid glands

Parathyroid glands are small endocrine glands in the neck of humans and all tetrapods, embedded in the posterior surface of the thyroid glands.Gray, Henry 1980. Williams, Peter L & Warwick, Roger (eds) Gray's Anatomy (36th ed). Churchill Livingstone p1453. 

 Function 
These glands produce parathyroid hormones (PTH). This has an important role in controlling the amount of calcium in blood and bones. Calcium is an important element in our body: it is the only element with its own control system (the parathyroid glands).

 Structure 
There are two pairs of parathyroid glands, just behind the thyroid glands. Each gland is about 6 mm long and 3–4 mm wide. Parathyroid glands get their blood supply from the inferior thyroid arteries.Fehrenbach and Herring 2012. Illustrated Anatomy of the head and neck.  Elsevier, p. 159.

 References 

Category:Glands
Category:Endocrine system