Immunologic Aspects of Thyroid Function

FOR many years after it was first described, Hashimoto's disease was considered rare and was usually diagnosed by the pathologist after thyroidectomy. More recently the use of the needle biopsy and the application of modern immunologic technics have shown that the disease is far more common than previously thought. These studies have also thrown new light on its etiology and revealed its relation to other thyroid disorders.This review deals with the immunologic aspects of Hashimoto's disease, with special emphasis on the factors that predispose to its development. There have been several recent reviews on the role of autoimmunity in . . .