The effects of thiourea and cortisone acetate on duodenal length and diameter and on morphogenesis of duodenal villi in chick embryos

Subnormal growth in length and diameter of the duodenum is encountered both in chick embryos injected with thiourea at 11 days of incubation, and in embryos injected with cortisone acetate at 14 days of incubation. Morphogenesis of previllous ridges and villi is retarded in thiourea-treated embryos. Morphogenesis of previllous ridges and villi in cortisone acetate-treated embryos at first seems to be slightly accelerated over that of controls, but the acceleration does not appear to be maintained, and the hormone may actually be inhibitory to normal morphogenesis of villi by 19 days of incubation. The results indicate that normal levels of endogenous thyroxine are necessary for normal growth in length and diameter of the duodenum and for normal morphogenesis of previllous ridges and villi. The possibility that adrenocorticoids may also play a role in the normal development of these parameters is indicated, although the evidence is inconclusive.