title: Preparation of porcine thyroid follicles with preserved polarity: functional and morphological properties in comparison to inside-out follicles.
abstract: One of the main problems in establishing isolated thyroid follicles in vitro is their tendency to form inside-out follicles. The reason for this change in polarity is unknown. We describe here a method for the preparation of stable thyroid follicles with preserved polarity for at least 6 days. Isolated follicles were obtained by infusion of collagenase (1.5 mg/ml) dissolved in minimal essential medium into the artery of intact thyroid glands. The morphological and functional properties of these follicles were compared to inside-out follicles. These inside-out follicles were obtained by digestion of minced thyroid tissue in a collagenase (1 mg/ml) solution. The polarity of follicles was proved by morphological criteria. Follicles with preserved polarity did not change polarity for at least 6 days in the presence of 1% or 5% fetal calf serum. As the culture conditions for both preparation methods were identical, we conclude that the preparation method rather than the culture condition is responsible for the preservation of cell polarity of isolated thyroid follicles in our system. Increases in cyclic AMP levels induced either by bovine thyrotropin (10(-3) U/ml) or by isoproterenol (10(-6) M) as well as iodide uptake and organification were rapid and significant in right-side-right follicles but not in inside-out follicles. Therefore the TSH receptor and the beta-adrenergic receptor appear to be exclusively located at the basal membrane of follicular cells. In addition, iodide uptake apparently is unidirectional.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gärtner
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Greil
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stübner
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Permanetter
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Horn
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Pickardt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D007455:Iodine / Q000378:metabolism; D013048:Specimen Handling; D013552:Swine; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D013972:Thyrotropin; D004247:DNA; D013954:Thyroglobulin; D007455:Iodine; D000242:Cyclic AMP