Cellular Integration of Thyrocytes and Thyroid Folliculogenesis A Perspective for Thyroid Tissue Regeneration and Engineering

• Published in: ENDOCRINE JOURNAL Vol. 48; no. 4; pp. 407 - 425
• Main Authors: TODA, SHUJI, KOIKE, NORIMASA, SUOIHARA, HAJIME
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japan Endocrine Society 2001
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Adhesion; Cell Differentiation; Cell Polarity; Cells, Cultured; Collagen; Embryonic and Fetal Development; Humans; Microscopy, Electron; Regeneration; Thyroid Gland - cytology; Thyroid Gland - physiology; Tissue Engineering
• ISSN: 0918-8959; 1348-4540
• DOI: 10.1507/endocrj.48.407

Thyroid gland is composed of many spheroid structures called thyroid follicles, in which thyrocytes are integrated in their specific structural and functional polarization. In conventional monolayer and floating cultures, the cells cannot reorganize follicle structures with normal polarity. By contrast, in a 3-D collagen gel culture thyrocytes easily and stably reconstruct follicles with physiological polarity. Integration of thyrocyte growth and differentiation appears to result in eventual thyroid folliculogenesis. 3-D collagen gel culture and subacute thyroiditis, a specific thyroid disorder, are the promising models for addressing the mechanism of thyroid folliculogenesis. Because formation of 3-D follicles actively occurs both in this culture system and at the regenerative stage of the disease. The understanding of the mechanistic basis of folliculogenesis is prerequisite for establishment of an artificial thyroid tissue, which would enable a more physiological approach to the treatment of hypothyroidism caused by various diseases and surgical processes than conventional hormone replacement therapy. In this review, we have discussed thyrocyte integration, and thyroid folliculogenesis and tissue regeneration, to further thyroid biology. Also, we briefly discussed a perspective on thyroid tissue regeneration and engineering.