Remodelling of bone and bones. Effects of altered mechanical stress on anlages.

Tails from 4-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were bent in situ or skinned bent tail segments were transplanted s.c. into 50 g hosts. Tissue changes were studied for up to 24 weeks by radiographic and histological techniques. The early changes in situ resulted largely from limited translation of bones within their encasing tissues with resorption on the leading (pressure) side inducing thinning, and on the trailing (tension) side thickening of bone. The changes in transplanted anlages occurred in 3 stages: initially, bending of the anlages, with tension between the stretched periosteum and the outer bone surface inducing formation, and compression of cartilage and bone on the inner aspect leading to resorption; then resumption of longitudinal growth and expansion of the bent loop leading to translation of bones within the encasing soft tissues with resorption and thinning of bone on the leading pressure side and formation, with thickening of the inner shaft, on the trailing tension side; and finally with cessation of growth and translation, a reversal to the previous phase. The results support the hypothesis that 2 processes are involved: first, internal stress, and second, translation of bones with, in all instances, pressure inducing resorption and tension inducing formation of bone.