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Thyroglobulin in human thyroid follicles with acid mucin

H R Harach1

  • 1Department of Pathology, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, U.K.

The Journal of Pathology
|July 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

Certain thyroid follicles containing acid mucin are linked to the ultimobranchial body. This study found evidence supporting the ultimobranchial origin of some C cells and follicular cells in the thyroid gland.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Cell Biology
  • Histology

Background:

  • A subset of human thyroid follicles contain acid mucin and are located in the C-cell area.
  • These unique follicles are lined by abundant C cells and are hypothesized to originate from the ultimobranchial body.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cellular and molecular characteristics of ultimobranchial-related thyroid follicles.
  • To determine if these follicles contain components typically associated with both C cells and follicular cells.

Main Methods:

  • Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on thyroid tissue sections.
  • Detection of thyroglobulin, calcitonin, and CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide) was utilized.

Main Results:

  • Thyroglobulin-reactive follicular cells and colloid were identified within these specific thyroid follicles.
  • Calcitonin and CGRP, markers of C cells, were also present in these ultimobranchial-related follicles.

Conclusions:

  • The presence of both follicular cell and C cell markers supports the origin of these follicles from the ultimobranchial body.
  • These findings suggest that the ultimobranchial stem cell line may be the source of thyroid mixed medullary follicular neoplasia.

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