Recent studies in our laboratory have shown that in some teleosts, 3,5-di-iodothyronine (T 2 or 3,5-T 2 ) is as bioactive as 3,5,3 0 -tri-iodothyronine (T 3 ) and that its effects are in part mediated by a TRb1 (THRB) isoform that contains a 9-amino acid insert in its ligand-binding domain (long TRb1 (L-TRb1)), whereas T 3 binds preferentially to a short TRb1 (S-TRb1) isoform that lacks this insert. To further understand the functional relevance of T 2 bioactivity and its mechanism of action, we used in vivo and ex vivo (organotypic liver cultures) approaches and analyzed whether T 3 and T 2 differentially regulate the S-TRb1 and L-TRb1s during a physiological demand such as growth. In vivo, T 3 and T 2 treatment induced body weight gain in tilapia. The expression of L-TRb1 and S-TRb1 was specifically regulated by T 2 and T 3 respectively both in vivo and ex vivo. The TR antagonist 1-850 effectively blocked thyroid hormone-dependent gene expression; however, T 3 or T 2 reversed 1-850 effects only on S-TRb1 or L-TRb1 expression, respectively. Together, our results support the notion that both T 3 and T 2 participate in the growth process; however, their effects are mediated by different, specific TRb1 isoforms.