Thyroid hormones play an essential role for metabolism, growth and differentiation. Therefore, exact regulation of thyroid hormone levels is vital for most organisms.
Although the principles of thyrotropic feedback control have been described decades ago we still have not yet gained comprehensive understanding of its dynamics.
Recently, significant progress has been made with mathematical modelling of thyroid homeostasis. However, due to nonlinear interactions, these cybernetic modells cannot simultaneously describe static and dynamic behaviour. This gap may be filled with computer simulations that additionally facilitate an intuitive insight into the dynamics of thyrotropic feedback.
SimThyr is a simulation program for the pituitary thyroid feedback control that is based on a parametrically isomorphic model of the overall system. Applications of this program cover research, including development of hypotheses, and education of students in biology and medicine, nurses and patients.
SimThyr helped do prove a new hypothesis about the emergence of pulsatile TSH release. Furthermore it is used for educational processes at several locations.