| Abstract: | At intervals from 2 to 13 days of incubation, 2.5 mg of tetracycline hydrochloride was injected into the yolk sac of chick embryos. The femurs and mandibles were examined histologically at intervals between 10 and 17 days of embryonic age. The abnormalities which result include inhibition of mineralization of the developing osteoid trabeculae, retardation of erosion of the long bone cartilage model, and abnormal calcification of the cartilage matrix in the long bones. The major effects on cartilage maturation appear to occur after cellular hypertrophy has taken place and thus are found only in cartilage models which are being replaced by bone. While tetracycline does cause some retardation in the rate of osteoid deposition, the drug appears to affect intramembraneous bone formation in the mandible and femur primarily by retarding or temporarily inhibiting the rate of mineralization of the osteoid matrix. The results of this study indicate that the effects produced by tetracycline on developing bones are dependent upon the concentration of the drug and not upon the time of administration. |
