Abstract
The increase of total collagen and its destruction were compared for whole calvaria and long bones from young growing rats prelabeledin utero with3H-L-proline. Rats were compared from birth to 16 weeks of age. Long bones and calvaria were isolated as intact anatomical units for autoradiography or separated by collagenase into calcified and uncalcified collagens. Autoradiography using14C-L-proline demonstrated eccentric remodeling of bone collagen. With growth the mass of calcified collagen (bone) increased rapidly in calvaria and long bones. A similar increase in the mass of uncalcified collagen (mainly cartilage) occurred in the long bones; a very small increase occurred in the fibrous tissue of calvaria.
Total and specific radioactivities of collagens at each age were compared to that present at birth. With growth remodeling an almost complete loss of pre-existing radioactive collagen occurred from uncalcified fibrous tissue of calvaria as compared to a smaller but substantial loss from the uncalcified cartilage of long bones. A marked loss of calcified collagen occurred in long bones as compared to a smaller loss from calvarial bones. The isotopic data indicate a large turnover of fibrous tissue (type I collagen) with growth remodeling as compared to a smaller turnover of bone (calcified, type I collagen) and cartilage (type II collagen). The turnover rate of skeletal collagens depends upon whether the collagen is calcified or not, and not upon the type of collagen.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aries, L. J.: Experimental analysis of the growth pattern and rates of appositional and longitudinal growth in the rat femur. Surg. Gynec. Obstet.72, 679–689 (1941)
Baer, M. J.: Patterns of growth of the skull as revealed by vital staining. Hum. Biol.26, 80–126 (1954)
Bassett, C. A., Ruedi, T. P.: Transformation of fibrous tissue to bonein vivo. Nature (Lond.)209, 988–989 (1966)
Cheek, D. B., Powell, G. K., Scott, R. E.: Growth of muscle mass and skeletal collagen in the rat. I. Normal growth. Bull. Johns Hopk. Hosp.116, 378–395 (1965)
Chvapil, M., Bartos, D., Bartos, F.: Effect of long-term physical stress on collagen growth in the lung, heart, and femur of young and adult rats. Gerontologia19, 263–270 (1973)
Cleall, J. F., Jacobson, S. H., Chebib, F. S., Berker, S.: Growth of the craniofacial complex in the rat. Amer. J. Orthodont.60, 368–384 (1971)
Cleall, J. F., Wilson, G. W., Garnett, D. S.: Normal craniofacial skeletal growth of the rat. Amer. J. Phys. Anthrop.29, 225–242 (1968)
DeAngelis, V.: Autoradiographic investigation of calvarial growth in the rat. Amer. J. Anat.123, 359–368 (1968)
Digby, K. H.: The measurement of diaphysial growth in proximal and distal directions. J. Anat. Physiol.50, 187–188 (1915)
Dixon, A. D., Hoyte, D. A. N.: A comparison of autoradiographic and alizarin techniques in the study of bone growth. Anat. Rec.145, 101–113 (1963)
Donaldson, H. H.: Quantitative studies on the growth of the skeleton of the albino rat. Amer. J. Anat.26, 237–314 (1919)
Giblin, N., Alley, A.: A method for measuring bone growth in the skull. Anat. Rec.83, 381–387 (1942)
Hoyte, D. A. N.: Mechanisms of growth in the cranial vault and base. J. dent. Res.50, 1447–1461 (1971)
Klein, L.: Hydroxyproline in urine and tissues. Std. Methods Clin. Chem.6, 41–56 (1970)
Klein, L., Weiss, P. H.: Induced connective tissue metabolismin vivo: reutilization of preexisting collagen. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. Wash.56, 227–284 (1966)
Massler, M., Schour, I.: The growth pattern of the cranial vault in the albino rat as measured by vital staining with alizarine red “S”. Anat. Rec.110, 83–101 (1951)
Miller, E. J.: A review of biochemical studies on the genetically distinct collagens of the skeletal system. Clin. Orthop.92, 260–280 (1973)
Moss, M. L.: Growth of the calvaria in the rat. The determination of osseous morphology. Amer. J. Anat.94, 333–361 (1954)
Neuman, R. E., Logan, M. A.: Determination of collagen and elastin in tissues. J. biol. Chem.186, 549–556 (1950)
Payton, C. G.: The growth in length of the long bones in the madder-fed pig. J. Anat. (Lond.)66, 414–425 (1932)
Pratt, C. W. M.: Postnatal changes in the shaft of the rat’s femur. J. Anat. (Lond.)93, 309–322 (1959)
Smith, J. D., Abramson, M.: Membranousvs endochondral bone autografts. Arch. Otolaryng.99, 203–205 (1974)
Sobel, H., Marmorston, J., Moore, F. J.: Collagen and hexosamine content of femurs of rats. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N.Y.)87, 346–349 (1954)
Tomlin, D. H., Henry, K. M., Kon, S. K.: Autoradiographic study of growth and calcium metabolism in the long bones of the rat. Brit. J. Nutr.7, 235–252 (1953)
Young, R. W.: Autoradiographic studies on postnatal growth of the skull in young rats injected with tritiated glycine. Anat. Rec.143, 1–13 (1962)
Zika, J. M., Klein, L.: Comparison of whole calvarial bones and long bones during early growth in rats. Histology and collagen composition. Calcif. Tiss. Res.18, 101–110 (1975)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Klein, L., Zika, J.M. Comparison of whole calvarial bones and long bones during early growth in rats. Calc. Tis Res. 20, 217–227 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02546410
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02546410