Ko te TSH te thyroid-stimulating hormone, te taiaki whakaohooho i te repe tenga. Ehara i te repe tenga te kaihanga: ka puta mai i te repe pituitari (pituitary gland) i te take o te roro. Ko tāna mahi he kī atu ki te repe tenga i tō kakī te nui o te taiaki repe tenga (T4 me T3) hei hanga.
He rite ki te pūwhakarite mahana (thermostat). Ina heke te taiaki repe tenga, ka whakapikia e te repe pituitari te TSH kia kaha ake te mahi a te repe tenga. Ina nui rawa, ka whakahekea e ia te TSH. Koia i āhua huripoki ai te hua: ko te TSH teitei, i te nuinga o te wā he repe tenga māngere, ā, ko te TSH iti, he repe tenga hohe rawa.
I te mea ka urupare te TSH ki ngā panoni iti i mua i te T4, koia te whakamātautau repe tenga tuatahi, tino tairongo hoki. Ko te thyroid profile, ka tāpiri i te T4 wātea, i ētahi wā te T3 wātea, ā, ka whakaatu ngā paturopi repe tenga (thyroid antibodies, anti-TPO) mēnā kei te whakaeke te pūnaha ārai mate i te repe tenga.



