CERTAIN FUNCTIONS OF ISOLATED THYROID CELLS

Abstract

A technique for dispersing thyroid tissue into single cells is described. When incubated with I¹³¹ these cells form almost entirely monoiodotyrosine in peptide linkage. lodination is stimulated by TSH and inhibited by propylthiouracil, thiocyanate, catalase and glutathione. Pcrchlorate is without effect. Thyroglobulin, serum albumin and tyrosine are iodinated when added to the incubation medium, although the iodinated material formed by unfortified cells does not appear to be thyroglobulin. These cells actively metabolize glucose to CO₂ and oxidize glucose by way of the hexosc monophosphate pathway.