REESTABLISHMENT OF FUNCTION IN TRANSPLANTED THYROID GLANDS OF MICE*

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Abstract
The method of radioautography was used to study establishment of function in syngenesially transplanted mouse thyroids. The autographs obtained indicated that superficial thyroid follicles in the implant were capable of metabolizing iodine, in seemingly normal fashion, even when medullary necrosis was at a peak and before vascular connections between the host and graft had been established. One to 3 or more days after transplantation, when cellular recovery was occurring and vascular connections were being established, the function of the graft, as measured by iodine accumulation, was at the lowest level. Radioautographs produced by thyroid transplants of more than 10 days residence in the host were essentially normal. Under the conditions of the expt., all autographs were made by radio-iodine accumulated in the colloid of the graft follicles. Not all colloid-containing follicles autographed, however, even though they were morphologically indistinguishable from neighboring follicles that did.