MITOTIC RATE OF RATS THYROID-GLAND DURING HYPERTROPHY INDUCED BY AN ANTI-THYROID AGENT (CARBIMAZOLE)

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 127  (OCT) , 353-362
Abstract
Female rats (200 g body wt) were either untreated or given carbimazole (0.1 g/100 ml) in their drinking water for up to 12 wk. The mitotic rate of thyroid follicular cells was estimated using vincristine sulfate (1 mg/kg, i.p.) given 2.5 h before sacrifice at 14.30 h. Measurement of whole-body oxygen consumption showed that the rats were clearly hypothyroid after 1 wk of treatment, and remained so up to 12 wk. The mitotic rate rose rapidly from the control value of 3.65 to about 25 metaphases/100 cells per 24 h after 4 days and was maintained at this level for 5 wk and was still significantly elevated at 12 wk. The results of earlier studies were reviewed and discussed in relation to recent concepts of cell populations.