Abstract
Summary
Intact and PTX rats previously injected with 45Ca received cortisol, 5 mg/kg/day, for 17 weeks. Bone resorption as determined by serum and fecal 45Ca and bone 45Ca specific activity were reduced by cortisol in the PTX rats and showed a similar tendency in intact rats. In spite of this, the bone mass, as determined by ash content, was reduced by cortisol in both the intact and PTX animals. The data show that (i) cortisol, 5 mg/kg/day, produces osteopenia by inhibition of bone formation, and (ii) the presence of parathyroid glands is not essential for the production of this osteopenia.
The authors thank Roberta A. Weber for her technical assistance, and Joanne C. Vaccaro for her secretarial assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.
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