[Thyroid tissue phospholipids in different forms of pathology]

Phospholipid localization in the thyroid was studied in patients with nodose euthyroid- and diffuse-toxic goiter by means of histochemistry. At the same time biochemical studies on the total amount of phospholipids and their separate fractions were carried out. The maximum phospholipid number was seen in C-cells of patients with all the forms of nodose and diffuse-toxic goiter and in the control group. The C-cell amount in the nodes of the thyroid with pronounced lymphoid infiltration and in the tissue of diffuse-toxic goiter was 5 to 10 times higher comparatively to that of the controls. The total phospholipid content was twice higher in nodose goiter and 3 times higher in the diffuse-toxic forms. Correlation between the increased amount of phospholipids, particularly of phosphatidylcholine, and the enhanced C-cell number was found. The near-nodose tissue is not suitable for the control, as this part of the gland undergoes functional tension, according to the total phospholipid content and the number of C-cells, enriched with phospholipids.