Age-related changes in renal and hepatic cellular mechanisms associated with variations in rat serum thyroid hormone levels

摘要

thyroid physiology and thyroid parameters are markedly influenced by genetic and by environmental factors (such as food and iodine intake), all able to modulate thyroid hormone bioactivity (18). During aging, thyroid function decreases progressively, and it is well recognized that the symptoms of aging can easily be confused with those of hypothyroidism (40). Complex age-related changes occur in the anatomy of the thyroid gland and in the physiology of the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid axis, and these could contribute to the progressive age-related decline in hormone metabolic activity. Moreover, the sensitivity of target cells to triiodothyronine (T3) is reduced with aging (32, 35).