Autoradiographic Studies of the Utilization of Ca(45) by the Chick Embryo

Calcium-45 was injected into the dense albumen of fertile hen's eggs, to the extent of 25 µc. per egg. The eggs were incubated under standard conditions and three or more embryos removed daily and fixed in 10 per cent neutral formalin. Stripping-film autoradiograms were prepared from paraffin sections of the tibiofibulae. Exposure varied with the isotope concentration. The tissue sections with their autoradiograms in place were stained with dilute Giemsa, while other sections were stained with hematoxylin-azure-eosin and by von Kossa to demonstrate bone salt. At about 9 days, Ca(45) is found in the cartilage template both intra- and extracellularly. Between 9 and 11 days, a primary diaphyseal lamella is deposited which is largely acellular. The lamella is eroded by capillaries from the periosteum and a resorption center is established in the cartilage. New lamellae of bone are deposited centrifugally in an imbricated pattern. Bone matrix formation precedes calcification by about 1 to ½ days, and calcification in a particular lamella is not uniform. Endochondral bone formation is described, as well as calcification of the epiphyseal/diaphyseal cartilage. Calcium-45 occurs intracellularly in the osteocyte during bone formation.