Connective Tissue VIII

Abstract

Summary and conclusion

Rachitic rats, which have been shown to be refractory to cortisol insofar as their connective tissue chemistry is concerned, demonstrated a chemical response to local injury which was qualitatively similar to that evidenced in non-rachitic animals. Quantitatively, the chemical alteration in inflammation in the rachitic animals was less profound than that found in the non-rachitic rats. Indeed, the wounds in the rachitic animals were chemically healed within 23 days after injury whereas the non-rachitic rats were not. Finally, the cortisol refractory rachitic animals did not demonstrate a “distant dermal collagen response” to local inflammation, confirming previous reports suggesting that this response was a hormonally potentiated response to the stress produced by local trauma.