Thyroglobulin

Not to be confused with Thyroxine-binding globulin, a carrier protein responsible for carrying the thyroid hormones in the blood.

Thyroglobulin (Tg) is a 660 kDa, dimeric protein produced by the follicular cells of the thyroid and used entirely within the thyroid gland. Thyroglobulin protein accounts for approximately half of the protein content of the thyroid gland.

The protein is a precursor of the thyroid hormones; these are produced when thyroglobulin's tyrosine residues are combined with iodine and the protein is subsequently cleaved. Each thyroglobulin molecule contains approximately 100-120 tyrosine residues, but only a small number (20) of these are subject to iodination by thyroperoxidase in the follicular colloid. Therefore, each Tg molecule forms only approximately 10 thyroid hormone molecules.