Comparison of growth-induced resorption and denervation-induced resorption on the release of [3H]tetracycline, 45calcium, and [3H]collagen from whole bones of growing rats.

The major effect of immobilization during growth is a smaller bone mass induced by either an increased bone resorption or a decreased bone formation. Using a method of analyzing radioisotopic loss of [3H]tetracycline and [3H]collagen from bone prelabeled in vivo, we compared the amount of bone resorption due to immobilization with bone resorption induced by growth. One hind limb was denervated in growing male rats, 6 weeks of age, that had been chronically prelabeled with [3H]tetracycline, 45calcium, and [3H]proline. The total radioactivity of the whole femur and tibia/fibula from the denervated limb was compared with that from bones of the control limb at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after denervation. The effect of growth on bone formation was measured by net increases in bone length, volume, and mass of matrix and mineral. Experimental bones had a significantly smaller volume and mass. Bone resorption was much greater during growth modeling than during denervation. The additional bone resorption induced by denervation was a small fraction (one-fourth) of the resorption induced by growth. Denervation during growth resulted in less bone being formed due to a smaller gain in matrix and mineral mass as a result of a reduction in bone formation.