Abstract
Summary
The effect of ultimobranchialectomy upon the maintenance of normal skeletal structure in the young chicken has been examined. Mortality, body growth, serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, X-Ray appearance and microradio-graphs of the tibia of calcitonin-deficient animals was not different from sham-operated birds. It was demonstrated that the fall of serum calcium to hypocalcemic levels following parathyroid hormone induced hypercalcemia is calcitonin dependent. Similar observations were made after the infusion of calcium studies indicate that calcitonin is essential in in thyroidectomized animals. (20). These studies indicate that calcitonin is essential in the prevention of hypercalcemia but has no major role in the growth of the skeleton under normal conditions.
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