Abstract
The relationship of the thyroid to the pituitary gland has been explored by various methods. Earliest mention of this relationship is found in the description of the hypophysis 1 in pathologic conditions of the thyroid gland. Large. pale cells with nuclei poor in chromatin were noted in the anterior hypophyses in cases of thyroid deficiency. 2 Similar observations were made in dogs with spontaneous goiter. 3 Following thyroidectomy, the disappearance of acidophils and appearance of large chromophobes or basophils—frequently designated as thyroidectomy cells—have been described. 4 Marine, Rosen and Spark 5 recently found an increase in the size of all the glandular cells and a decrease of the acidophilic granules in the anterior pituitary of rabbits maintained on a goitrogenic diet. Addition of iodine or desiccated thyroid to the diet of these animals prevented such changes or restored the appearance of the anterior pituitary gland to normal.
In rats reared on a goitrogenic diet we have found changes in the anterior pituitary gland which appear similar to those described in pathological human glands and following thyroidectomy. The Steenbock and Black 6 rachitogenic diet No. 2965 was found to be goitrogenic by Krause and Monroe. 7 In order to protect the rats against rickets, irradiated ergosterol in olive oil was added to their diet. Every tenth day an amount equivalent to 60 International Units was fed by pipette. The addition of vitamin D did not interfere with the regular production of hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the thyroid gland 8 and made it possible to keep the animals on the diet for a long time. Twenty-one males and 7 females were put on the diet after weaning: they were sacrificed after 2, 3, 4, 5, or 12 months.
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