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Information about Thyroglossal Duct

Duct not labeled, but arises nearest to region identified as 'pyramidal lobe')
Pattern of the branchial arches. I-IV branchial arches, 1-4 branchial pouches (inside) and/or pharyngeal grooves (outside)
a Tuberculum laterale
b Tuberculum impar
c Foramen cecum
d Ductus thyreoglossus
e Sinus cervicalis
Latinductus thyroglossalis
Carnegie stage14
Dorlands/Elsevier d_29/12315154
The thyroglossal duct is an embryological anatomical structure which forms the connection between the initial area of development of the thyroid gland and its final position.

The thyroid gland starts developing in the pharynx in the fetus and descends to its final position taking a path through the tongue, hyoid bone and neck muscles. The connection between its original position and its final position is the thyroglossal duct. This duct normally atrophies and closes off before birth but can remain open in some people.

Clinical significance

Failure of the thyroglossal duct to atrophy leads to a persistent thyroglossal duct.

External links

In the development of vertebrate animals, Pharyngeal or branchial pouches form on the endodermal side between the branchial arches, and pharyngeal grooves (or clefts) form from the lateral ectodermal surface of the neck region to separate the arches.
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In the development of vertebrate animals, the pharyngeal arches (also called branchial arches or gill arches in fish) develop during the fourth and fifth week in utero
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lateral swellings (or distal tongue bud) which rise from the inner surface of the mandibular arch and meet in the middle line.

External links

  • lateral+lingual+swelling at eMedicine Dictionary
  • Embryology at UNC hednk-024

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tuberculum impar, which was described by His as undergoing enlargement to form the buccal part of the tongue.

More recent researches, however, show that this part of the tongue is mainly, if not entirely, developed from a pair of lateral swellings which rise from the inner
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Foramen cecum (from the Latin meaning blind) can refer to:
  • Foramen cecum (frontal bone)
  • Foramen cecum (tongue)
  • Foramen cecum (medulla oblongata)

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cervical sinus, is formed on either side of the neck.

This sinus is bounded in front by the hyoid arch, and behind by the thoracic wall; it is ultimately obliterated by the fusion of its walls.
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Latin}}} 
Official status
Official language of: Vatican City
Used for official purposes, but not spoken in everyday speech
Regulated by: Opus Fundatum Latinitas
Roman Catholic Church
Language codes
ISO 639-1: la
ISO 639-2: lat
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In embryology, Carnegie stages are a standardized system of 23 stages used to provide a unified developmental chronology of the vertebrate embryo.

The stages are delineated through the development of structures, not by size or the number of days of development, and so the
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Elsevier, the world's largest publisher of medical and scientific literature, forms part of the Reed Elsevier group. Based in Amsterdam, the company has substantial operations in the UK, USA and elsewhere.
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Embryology is the study of the development of an embryo. An embryo is defined as any vertebrate in a stage before birth or hatching. Embryology refers to the development of the egg cell (zygote) after fertilization and the differentiation of cells into tissues and organs.
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For other uses, see Thyroid cartilage.


The thyroid is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. This gland is found in the neck just below the laryngeal prominence.
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For other uses, see Thyroid cartilage.


The thyroid is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. This gland is found in the neck just below the laryngeal prominence.
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The pharynx (plural: pharynges) is the part of the neck and throat situated immediately posterior to the mouth and nasal cavity, and cranial, or superior, to the esophagus, larynx, and trachea.
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fetus (or foetus, or fœtus) is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate, after the embryonic stage and before birth. The plural is fetuses (foetuses, fœtuses) or, very rarely, foeti.
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The tongue is the large bundle of skeletal muscles on the floor of the mouth that manipulates food for chewing and swallowing (deglutition). It is the primary organ of taste. Much of the surface of the tongue is covered in taste buds.
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The hyoid bone (Lingual Bone) is a bone in the human neck, and is the only bone in the skeleton not articulated to any other bone. It is supported by the muscles of the neck and in turn supports the root of the tongue.
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For the American thrash metal band, see Atrophy (band)
Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body. Causes of atrophy include poor nourishment, poor circulation, loss of hormonal support, loss of nerve supply to the target organ,
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Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the delivery of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus.
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persistent thyroglossal duct is a usually benign medical condition in which the thyroglossal duct, a structure usually only found during embryonic development, fails to atrophy. The duct persists as a midline structure connecting the back of the tongue to the thyroid gland.
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eMedicine is an online clinical medical knowledge base that was founded in 1996 by Scott Plantz and Richard Lavely, two medical doctors. It was sold to WebMD in January 2006.
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