Growth of Normal and Thyroidectomized Rats on Iodine-Deficient Diet

¹ From the Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

Thyroidectomized rats on an iodine-deficient diet have little or no growth. Inorganic iodide, 3,5-diiodothyronine and inorganic iodide with 3,5-diiodothyronine do not promote growth in these animals. On a normal diet, thyroidectomized rats have retarded growth. After considerable time of cessation of growth on the iodine-deficient diet, 3,3',5-triiodo-l-thyronine restores growth in the thyroidectomized animal. The cessation of growth in the thyroidectomized rats on iodine-deficient diet is considered due to the absence of metabolically active organic iodine which is present in the normal diet.