Ccellerna

Ccellerna, commonly referred to as C cells, are a population of neuroendocrine cells in the thyroid gland. They reside in the interfollicular tissue between thyroid follicles and secrete calcitonin. Developmentally they originate from neural crest cells that migrate into the thyroid during embryogenesis.

Calcitonin is a peptide hormone that lowers blood calcium levels by inhibiting osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and promoting calcium excretion by the kidneys. In humans its physiological role is relatively minor compared with parathyroid hormone and vitamin D, but it serves as a useful biomarker in certain conditions.

Malignant transformation of C cells leads to medullary thyroid carcinoma, a neuroendocrine tumor that secretes calcitonin. Serum calcitonin is used as a diagnostic and monitoring biomarker; tissue detection relies on calcitonin immunohistochemistry. C-cell hyperplasia can precede carcinoma, especially in hereditary MEN2 syndromes associated with RET mutations.

In Swedish medical literature, the cells are often referred to as C-cellerna; the term Ccellerna may appear in various spellings.

See also: Calcitonin, Medullary thyroid carcinoma, Thyroid gland, Neuroendocrine tumor.