A model for the in vitro study of the conversion of thyroxine into triiodothyronine
using isolated rat liver parenchymal cells is described.
Isolated liver cells (mean protein content 18 mg/ml) convert approximately 0.8% of
1.3 µM exogenously added T4 into T3 during thirty minutes incubation. Carbimazole (50 µM) has no effect on the conversion
process, whereas propylthiouracil (50 µM) inhibits the conversion. The β-adrenoceptor
blocking agent propranolol lowers the conversion ratio when added in concentrations
of 580 and 1160 µM, but has no inhibitory effect when 290 µM is added.
Isolated Rat Liver Cells - Propranolol - Conversion of Thyroxine - Triiodothyronine
