THE INFLUENCE OF THE THYROID GLAND ON THE ISLETS OF LANGERHANS AND THE PANCREAS

Abstract

When sufficiently large amounts of desiccated thyroid gland were given to intact or hypophysectomized rats there was an increase in the weight of the pancreas, weight of the islets of Langerhans, and islet weight per unit of body weight. In intact rats the concentration of islet tissue in the pancreas was not significantly altered, but in hypophysectomized animals the concentration of islet tissue in the pancreas was reduced because of the large increase in pancreas weight. The great reduction in pancreas weight occasioned by hypophysectomy was to a large extent prevented by the administration of desiccated thyroid gland.