Abstract
There is indirect evidence that CT may play a role during the fetal life. However while the distribution of the CT-cells within the thyroid glands of adults and newborns has been well studied (Wolfe et al., J.C.E.M., 41, 1076, 1975), such information is not available in the human fetuses. Thyroid glands were obtained from 25 normal human fetuses (10.5 to 27w) and 3 anencephalic newborns (34 to 40w) ; immuno-cytochemical localization of CT-cells and CT content were studied. The distribution of the CT-cells was determined using both classical histochemical methods and indirect immunofluorescence technique (Goat antiserum against pure synthetic human CT) ; control reactions were performed in order to verify the specificity of the method. Thyroid tissues were extracted in 0.1N HCl and the extracts were assayed for CT content by radio-immunoassay. The first CT-cells were seen scattered within the unorganized thyroid cells in 14w foetuses and the presence of CT was confirmed by extraction procedure. After the generalization of the follicular organization of the thyroid, the CT-cells were seen in both inter and intra-follicular positions ; these cells were essentially restricted to a zone in the axial medium parts of each lateral lobes. This study confirms the early presence of CT-cells in the human fetus and suggests that CT might effectively be important during fetal life.
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Alizon, E., David, L. & Dubois, P. Ontogenesis of calcitonin-containing cells (CT-cells): imminocyto-chemical localization of CT-cells and measurement of calcitonin (CT) content in the thyroid glands from normal and anencephalic human fetuses. Pediatr Res 13, 83 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197901000-00086
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197901000-00086