Abstract
Two experiments were performed to assess the kinetics of changes in somatotroph (St) and thyrotrdph (Tt) populations in the rat anterior pituitary after thyroidectomy and during T3 treatment (10 μtg/100 g BW) of thyroidectomized rats. St and Tt numbers were determined by a method combining cell counting and determination of DNA in dispersed cells as well as the percentage distribution of cells at the electron microscopic level. During development of hypothyroidism, the mean maximal increase in pituitary wet weight was reached 15 days after thyroidectomy. Pituitary weight remained relatively constant thereafter. Both pituitary DNA content and total pituitary cell number increased 30–40% above euthyroid values after 15 days. Thyroidectomy cells (TE) appeared within 4 days and progressively increased in number for 64 days. An initial decline in the normal appearing Tt was probably due to a shift to the TE form. After 64 days, Tt and TE comprised 38% of all pituitary cells, a net gain of 1.24 × 106 cells/pitu...
Published Version
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