Histomorphological aspects of the development of thyroid autoimmune diseases: consequences for our understanding of endocrine ophthalmopathy.

Abstract

In this short review we will first evaluate the histomorphological aspects of the human and spontaneous animal thyroid autoimmune diseases. These diseases include Hashimoto goiter, primary myxedema, Graves' disease, and the spontaneous forms of thyroiditis in the Bio Breeding (BB) rat, the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse, and the obese strain (OS) of chicken. Based on sequential histomorphological events in the animal models of thyroid autoimmune disease, a mechanism for the pathogenesis of thyroid autoimmune disease is proposed. Since one of the human thyroid autoimmune diseases, specifically Graves' disease, is often associated with ophthalmopathy, the histomorphological aspects of the ophthalmopathic process are also evaluated to consider its possible autoimmune character.