An embryological anatomical structure that forms an open connection between the initial area of development of the thyroid gland and its final position; it is located exactly midline, between the anterior 2/3rds and posterior 1/3rd of the tongue; this duct normally atrophies and closes off as the foramen cecum before birth. [ MP:0013235 ]
Synonyms: ductus thyroglossus
Term information
- MA:0000130
- VHOG:0000746
- FMA:77274
- UMLS:C0231104 (ncithesaurus:Thyroglossal_Duct)
- SCTID:308822005
- EMAPA:17070
- NCIT:C49783
- Wikipedia:Thyroglossal_duct
uberon_slim, pheno_slim
An embryonic duct extending between the thyroid primordium and the posterior tongue. [TFD][VHOG]
A duct, called the thyroglossal duct in mammals, is considered to be characteristic of thyroid development. The thyroglossal duct, degenerating in many species during late development, marks the way the thyroid primordium relocates during embryonic development from the pharynx to its position deep in the cervical mesenchyme. We cannot exclude that the duct of the endostyle and the thyroglossal duct may have evolved independently, but as they both represent a more or less persistent connection of the organ to the pharynx, it is likely that they are homologous structures.[well established][VHOG]