Cyclic nucleotide metabolism in differentiated and undifferentiated epithelial thyroid cells in culture.

A highly differentiated thyroid cell line (FR-RL) was compared with a less differentiated (FR-T Cl1) and an undifferentiated (1-5G) cell line. FR-TL is modulated in vivo and in vitro by thyrotropin and has the lowest adenylate cyclase and guanylate cyclase and the highest phosphodiesterase activities. In contrast, 1-5G tumor cells do not respond to thyrotropin and have the highest adenylate cyclase guanylate cyclase and lowest hydrolyzing enzyme activities. Intermediate enzyme activities were found in FR-T Cl1 cells. The differences between the two normal rat thyroid cell lines are not due to differences in the composition of the growth medium.