Temperature dependent changes in the thyroid gland of Mertensiella caucasica (Urodela,Amphibia)

Summary The influence of temperature on the thyroid gland of the Caucasian salamander, Mertensiella caucasica has been studied (1) with the light- and electron microscopes, (2) with enzyme histochemical and quantitative methods. Animals which had been kept for years at 16° C were exposed for 48 hrs to 4° C or 27° C.At 4° C the follicular epithelium consisted of cuboidal cells with well-developed rough ER, occasional distended cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER) filling most of the cytoplasm, a relatively small Golgi apparatus and numerous round or oval shaped lysosomes. In animals kept at 27° C the follicular wall was composed of markedly taller epithelial cells, the apices of which bulged into the follicular lumen. Compared to the animals at 4° C, there appeared to be a decrease in the rough ER. The Golgi apparatus did not exhibit clear differences. The lysosomes increased in number and showed various shapes among which elongated ones with pointed ends were particularly striking. In the apical cytoplasm colloid droplets appeared indicating hormone release. The apical microvilli increased in number.The measurements of total T₄ have shown that the hormone level in animals kept at 27° C was about twice as high as in animals kept at 4° C.Dedicated in gratitude to Professor Dr. Drs. h.c. W. Bargmann on the occasion of his 70th birthday.Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (We 380/5).