Reconstruction of the thyroid follicle with long-term cultured cells

The reconstruction of the thyroid follicle was studied in vitro using the porcine thyroid cell line ATHOS. When performed monolayers of ATHOS cells grown after more than 50 passages are cultured in a sandwich of collagen in the presence of thyrotropin (10 mU/ml), figures resembling follicles are observed under light microscopy. By electron microscopy cells appear correctly polarized, microvilli facing follicle lumina. These histiotypical figures that mimic the thyroid architecture are maintained 4-5 weeks.