QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF C-CELLS IN HASHIMOTOS-THYROIDITIS

The objective of the present investigation was to study quantitatively C cells in Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) by analyzing 22 thyroids obta ined at autopsy or thyroidectomy from 16 patients with thyroiditis and from 6 normal subjects. Six different areas were sampled on average a nd labeled with a monoclonal anticalcitonin antibody by immunohistoche mistry using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex. Normal thyroids fro m adult patients with no thyroid disease were used as control. C cells were counted in 1 cm(2) fields and the mean number of cells per field was calculated. Data were analyzed statistically by the Mann-Whitney test. The inflammatory process detected in cases of HT was usually mod erate (50%) and the number of C cells ranged from 0 to 12.2 per 1 cm(2 ) field. The number of C cells in normal thyroids ranged from 20 to 14 8 per 1 cm(2) field, with a median of 35.2 cells per field. The result s demonstrate a significant decrease in C cell number in HT compared w ith normal thyroids, indicating that the inflammatory process causes d estruction of both follicular and C cells, which are replaced by fibro sis.