title: Morphological and functional differentiation of human thyroid cells in collagen gel culture.
abstract: In order to study the expression of the morphological and functional characteristics of human thyroid cells, 3-dimensional cultures were carried out in collagen gel. This substrate allows the cells to retain their organization in follicles with a normal polarity. Cellular polarities appeared normal at the time of collagen embedding, but there was a delay of 4-5 days in culture before the maximal TSH stimulation of 125I- uptake and of cAMP accumulation occurred. In normal and adenoma-derived cells, 125I- uptake, which could be increased by TSH, was demonstrated. cAMP accumulated in the culture medium and thyroglobulin was secreted into the follicle lumen. Of the 4 differentiated carcinomas for which the 72-hr uptake of 125I- was measured, only 2 displayed slight 125I- uptake and response to TSH. Thus, human thyroid cells exhibit better morphological and functional differentiation in collagen gel culture than in monolayer culture. Furthermore, in a variety of pathological cases studied, the expression of specific characteristics in culture varied in a fashion similar to differences observed in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiopathologie Thyroïdienne, INSERM U66, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thomas-Morvan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caillou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlumberger
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fragu
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D013972:Thyrotropin; D003094:Collagen; D013954:Thyroglobulin; D000242:Cyclic AMP