Influence of somatostatin and epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the proliferation of follicular cells in the organ-cultured rat thyroid

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Abstract
The effects of somatostatin (SS), epidermal growth factor (EGF), as well as interactions among SS, EGF, and TSH in their action on the proliferation of thyroid follicular cells (TFC) in organ culture were investigated. It was shown that (1) SS (10−7 M) decreased significantly the mean mitotic activity rate (MMAR) of TFC; (2) SS (10−7 M) suppressed the mitogenic TSH action on the TFC proliferation; and (3) TSH, as well as EGF, caused an elevation of MMARs of TFC, the effect of TSH, however, being much stronger than that of EGF. The acquired data suggest that SS, most probably by paracrine interaction, may inhibit the mitotic activity of TFC. The mitogenic effect of EGF, a potent mitogen for TFC in cell culture, is not so strongly expressed in organ culture.