Immunofluorescent localization of thyroglobulin--autoantibody producing cells in various organs of obese strain (OS) chickens.

The Obese strain (OS) of White Leghorn chickens develops a spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis with circulating thyroglobulin-autoantibodies (Tg-AAb) similar to human Hashimoto thyroiditis. The paper describes attempts to localize the site of Tg-AAb production in various organs of these animals using the immunofluorescence method. Tg-AAb producing plasma cells and germinal centers could be detected in the infiltrated thyroid glands but not in spleen, bone marrow, coecal tonsils, thymus, bursa of Fabricius and Harderian glands.