Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Parafollicular Cells in the Normal Human Thyroid

Nature volume 230, pages 334–335 (1971)Cite this article

Abstract

NONIDEZ1 has described argyrophyllic, granulated cells distinct from follicular cells in the dog thyroid. It is now known that the mammalian thyroid is a source of calcitonin2, and the parafollicular cells seem to produce thyrocalcitonin3,4. Although calcitonin activity has been demonstrated in human thyroid tissue5, the parafollicular cells of the human thyroid have never before been demonstrated. Their presence has been assumed, however, because medullary carcinoma of the thyroid consists of cells resembling the parafollicular cells of other mammalian species, and contains calcitonin activity6.

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Nonidez, J. F., Amer. J. Anat., 49, 479 (1932).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Foster, G. V., Baghdiantz, A., Kumar, M. A., Slack, E., Soliman, H. A., and Macintyre, A. K., Nature, 202, 1303 (1964).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Bauer, W. C., and Teitelbaum, S. L., Lab. Invest., 15, 323 (1966).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Bussolati, M., and Pearse, A. G. E., J. Endocrinol., 37, 205 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Haymovitis, A., and Rosen, J. F., Endocrinology, 81, 993 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Mayer, J. S., and Abdel-Bari, W., New Engl. J. Med., 278, 523 (1968).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Braunstein, H., and Stephens, C. L., Arch. Pathol., 86, 659 (1968).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Department of Surgery, Jewish Hospital of St Louis, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri

    STEVEN L. TEITELBAUM, KENNETH E. MOORE & WILLIAM SHIEBER

Authors
  1. STEVEN L. TEITELBAUM
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. KENNETH E. MOORE
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. WILLIAM SHIEBER
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

TEITELBAUM, S., MOORE, K. & SHIEBER, W. Parafollicular Cells in the Normal Human Thyroid. Nature 230, 334–335 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/230334a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/230334a0

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing