Which endocrine gland requires iodine to synthesize a particular hormone whose deficiency may eause goitre disease ?

The thyroid gland is the endocrine gland that requires iodine to synthesize thyroid hormones, specifically thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) [1]. Iodine is a critical trace element for this process; it is actively concentrated by the thyroid follicular cells and incorporated into tyrosyl residues on thyroglobulin. When dietary iodine intake is insufficient, the thyroid gland cannot produce adequate amounts of these hormones, leading to a condition called hypothyroidism [1]. In response to this deficiency, the thyroid gland often enlarges in an attempt to capture more iodine from the blood, resulting in a visible swelling in the neck known as a goitre [1]. Other glands like the hypothalamus and pancreas do not require iodine for their primary hormone synthesis, nor is their deficiency linked to goitre.

Sources

1. [1] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 6: Control and Coordination > Do You Know? > p. 110