In VitroEffects of Thyrotropic Hormone. I. On the Pattern of Organization of Monolayer Cultures of Isolated Sheep Thyroid Gland Cells

Abstract

Sheep thyroid cells isolated by a continuous-flow trypsinization procedure were cultured as monolayers with and without the addition of a bovine anterior pituitary gland preparation of thyrotropic hormone (TSH). Monolayer cells in control cultures remained essentially unchanged throughout 7 days. The addition of TSH to the culture resulted in a reorganization of the monolayers, giving rise to a structural pattern resembling cross sections of the intact thyroid gland. The onset of this reorganization occurred after the isolated cells were exposed to TSH for 2-3 days. Reorganization of the cells did not occur when adrenocorticotropic hormone, insulin or bovine plasma albumin was added instead of the TSH. The addition of luteinizing and folliclestimulating hormone preparations did result in reorganization of the cells, but addition to the medium of amounts of TSH known to be present in these 2 preparations was shown to induce the reorganization effect. (Endocrinology74: 170, 1964)