Abstract
Male rats of the Wistar strain, three weeks old, corresponding to the weaning period, were given calcium-dificient food and bone debility was induced in them. The effect of treatment by food on the alveolar bone was then studied with a scanning electron microscope.
The results were as follows:
1. In the control group (standard food), bone construction was accelerated, and in the osseous layer, the surrounding matrix in the bone lacuna consisted of bundles of collagen fibrills, collagen fibrills, calcospherites, and uncalcified collagen fibrills.
2. The calcium-deficient food group as compared with the control group showed bone resorption images and enlarged bone emarrow extensively and was weakened. In the osseous layer, there were many portions showing bone resorption. Resorption cavities were shallow and the boundaries were indistinct.
3. The calcium-deficient food+standard food group, as compared with the calcium-deficient food group, showed active bone remodeling and bundles of collagen fibrills running in about one direction at the bone formation site in the osseous layer.
4. In the calcium-deficient food+chigh calcium food group, bone marrow diminished extensively and bone remodeling progressed in the osseous layer, and bundles of collagen fibrills were distributed abundantly although the formation site of the bone matrix was incomplete as compared with the control group.
On the basis of the foregoing findings, with treatment by food for bone debility, bone construction by bone remodeling was most accelerated in the calcium-deficient food+high calcium food group.
