Hypothalamic regulation of the Pituitary-Thyroid Unit in the Developing Chick Embryo

SYNOPSIS. In the chick embryo, the period of 10.0 to 13.0 daysof incubation is critical in the maturation of the hypothalamic/adenohypophysealor adenohypophyseal regulation of thyroid function; the establishmentof thyroid regulation at this time is reflected in a markedincrease in thyroid function. There has been general agreementthat the "feed-forward" and the "feed-backward" loops of theadenohypophyseal-thyroid unit are established on or about day11.5, but whether these events were the result of the establishmentof pituitary-thyroid interactions alone or included hypothalamicregulation of the pituitary-thyroid unit has until quite recentlyremained problematical. Data presented in the present reviewindicate that beginning on or about day 11.5 the hypothalamuscan and does regulate the pituitary-thyroid unit. Although thehypothalamus is essential for the maintenance of normal pituitary-thyroidfunction, the data strongly suggest that the immediate eventwhich is responsible for the establishment of a functional hypothalamoadenohypophyseal-thyroid axis in the developing chick embryo is a marked increasein adenohypophyseal thyrotrophs on day 11.5.