Urinary excretion of hydroxyproline, considered as an index of collagen metabolism, was determined prior to, and during, a period of fracture healing in normal and hypothyroid rats. Hypothyroidism was induced by feeding the animals for eight months with a diet containing thiouracil (0.3%). A closed complete fracture of the humerus was produced and left unsupported for 28 days. At the end of this healing period, hydroxyproline of fractured and intact humerus was also determined. Significant increase of a saline extractable and total hydroxyproline was found in fractured bone of the normal rat and this was considered due to the synthesis of new collagen. No evidence of such a change in saline extractable hydroxyproline was found in hypothyroid rats. Significant progressive decrease of urinary hydroxyproline was found in hypothyroid rats during the period of fracture healing. Under the conditions of this experiment, evidence of deficient collagen synthesis and metabolism in hypothyroid rats is confirmed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.