Lesson 1
Tiny glands, busy cells
Behind your thyroid, in your neck, are the parathyroid glands. Most people have four of them, and each one is about the size of a grain of rice.
Chief cells are the main cells in these glands. They are small and round, and they are packed together in little groups next to tiny blood tubes.
On their outside, chief cells have special calcium sensors. These let them check how much calcium is in the blood, all day and all night.
Wow!The parathyroid glands are tiny, but they are the boss of the calcium in your blood!
Lesson 2
Raising calcium when it's low
When blood calcium gets low, chief cells send out parathyroid hormone, or PTH for short. It works in three ways:
- It tells your bones to let a little calcium go into the blood.
- It tells your kidneys to keep calcium instead of letting it out in pee.
- It helps turn on vitamin D, which helps your gut take in calcium from food.
When calcium is back to normal, the chief cells slow down.
Try thisScroll up to the 3D model and press Send PTH. At home, find foods with calcium in your kitchen, like milk, yogurt, cheese, or leafy greens.