Replication of rat virus in neonatal calvaria in culture.

Rat Virus, a parvovirus of rodents that produces a variety of developmental disturbances of the head and face in neonatal animals, was examined for its ability to replicate in neonatal calvariae in vitro. The bones were isolated and infected with RV within 1 d of birth and cultured for up to 7 d. Virus from the bones and supernatant was titered, and the cellular location of replication determined using in situ hybridization. The virus readily replicated in the isolated bony tissues, reaching titers of nearly 10(7) plaque-forming units/ml. Using viral and complementary strand-specific probes, replication sites were located in the sutures and calvarial bones, as well as in cartilages thought to be part of the neurocranium. Results suggest that the virus localizes and replicates in cells necessary for the normal growth and development of the skull.