Estrogen receptors in human goitrous and neoplastic thyroid

An attempt was made to quantify the number of specific estrogen binding sites in specimens of human goitrous or neoplastic thyroid tissue obtained by surgery. Using synthetic estrogen [3H]moxestrol as a radioligand, the concentrations of estrogen receptors found were very low (average 0.57 +/- 0.47 fmol mg-1 of protein) approaching the detection limit. Accordingly, no significant sex dependent differences in estrogen receptors could be revealed.