Endocrine Abstracts

Thyroid hormones play a major role in the metabolic function of mammalian cells and are of particular importance in the development of the fetal brain. The MCT8 gene has recently been shown to encode an active and specific thyroid hormone transporter. Recent reports have identified mutations in the MCT8 gene in several unrelated boys presenting with severe X-linked psychomotor retardation and elevated serum T3.Ontogeny of mRNA encoding MCT8 was examined ...

During the metaphase to anaphase transition of mitosis, destruction of the human securin, pituitary tumor-transforming gene (PTTG), and subsequent activation of the cysteine endopeptidase separase, leads to the cleavage of RAD21, a component protein of the cohesin complex. The developing fetal brain has rapidly proliferating neuronal cells, whilst adult neurons no longer proliferate and are maintained in G0 status of the cell cycle. We have previously investigated the expressi...