MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Thyroid gland

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Thyroid gland

The thyroid gland, a part of the endocrine (hormone) system, plays a major role in regulating the body's metabolism.

Update Date: 7/18/2008

Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Deborah Wexler, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Endocrinologist, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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