INTERACTION OF BROMINE WITH IODINE IN THE RAT-THYROID GLAND AT ENHANCED BROMIDE INTAKE

In experiments with rats, we have found that at enhanced intake of bro mide, bromine does not replace chlorine in the thyroid; it replaces io dine. Under our experimental conditions, more than one-third of the io dine content in the thyroid was replaced by bromine. In the thyroid, b romine probably remained in the form of bromide and, in proportional t o its increased concentration, the production of iodinated thyronines decreased, with the sum of the iodine and bromine concentrations being constant at the value of 20.51 +/- 1.16 mu mol/g dry wt of the thyroi d. In contrast to other organs, the biological behavior of bromine in the thyroid is not similar to the biological behavior of chlorine but resembles more that of iodine.