Somatostatin receptors are restricted to a subpopulation of osteoblast-like cells during endochondral bone formation.

Specific binding sites for the peptide hormone somatostatin have previously been demonstrated in long bones from neonatal rats. In the present study, the distribution of somatostatin receptors during embryonic bone formation has been investigated using the stable radioiodinated somatostatin analogue, SDZ 204-090. Somatostatin receptors in rat long bones were first detectable at the time of invasion of the cartilage model by osteogenic cells. Initially, receptors were detectable throughout the region occupied by osteogenic cells. As bone growth proceeded, however, receptors were restricted to the region of most recent invasion of the hypertrophic cartilage, where osteoid had not yet been deposited. In vivo labelling studies in neonatal rats were carried out to identify the cells bearing somatostatin receptors. Receptors were present in a restricted region of the metaphysis, immediately adjacent to the hypertrophic cartilage. Chondrocytes, osteoclasts, and mature osteoblasts were not labelled by the radioligand. The labelled cells were often apposed to remnants of cartilage matrix and stained positively for the osteoblast marker, alkaline phosphatase. Thus the cells with specific somatostatin-binding sites were probably osteoblast precursor cells. Specific binding was detectable in all endochondral bones examined, including those of the skull, but no specific binding was found in the membrane bones of the skull. These data suggest that somatostatin is involved in the regulation of osteoblast differentiation during endochondral bone formation.