Thyroid gland follicles, light micrograph

---

Light micrograph of a cat thyroid gland. In this species the follicles have a small average size, so much so that, at times, they do not seem to exist. The visible colloid in the follicles shows a slight retraction, being separated from the epithelium. Reabsorption vacuoles (clear rounded 'punched out' areas generally located at the edge of the colloid) stand out, formerly interpreted as evidence of colloid reabsorption by thyrocytes, they are in fact artifacts.

---

Size: 3840px × 3072px
Location:
Photo credit: © JOSE CALVO / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, biology, cell, cells, colloid, cuboidal, endocrine, endocrinology, epithelial, follicle, gland, healthy, histological, histology, hormonal, light, lm, medical, medicine, micrograph, microscope, microscopy, normal, system, thyroid