ABSTRACT. In the present study, osteoclasts were isolated from hen medullary bones at the formative and resorptive phases. The cells were cultured on glass culture dishes and bone slices. After culturing, the adhesion activity of the isolated osteoclasts with the substrates was estimated with a light microscope, and the surfaces of the bone slices were observed with a scanning electron microscope. The results showed that the adhesion activity of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive osteoclasts is higher at the bone resorptive phase than at the bone formative phase, and this tendency in isolated osteoclasts was observed more frequently on the bone slices than on the glass culture dishes. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy showed that the isolated osteoclasts in the bone resorptive phase adhered to the bone surface with developed-cytoplasmic projections and formed broad pits where collagen fibrils were exposed. On the other hand, isolated osteoclasts in the bone formative phase adhered to the bone slice with board-shaped cytoplasmic projections and did not form any pits. These results suggest that isolated osteoclasts in the bone resorptive phase have a high level of adhesion activity and actively resorb the bone, whereas isolated osteoclasts in the bone formative phase have a low level of adhesion activity and cease bone resorption. The procedure reported here is useful for studying the bone-resorptive mechanism of authentic osteoclasts. -KEY WORDS: adhesion activity, bone resorption, egg-laying cycle, medullary bone, osteoclast.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 60 (5): [573][574][575][576][577][578] 1998 doubtful that these isolated osteoclasts represent the authentic osteoclasts, and respond to the various calciumregulating factors in the same manner as authentic osteoclasts.In the present study, we attempted to isolate homogeneous active and inactive osteoclasts from hen medullary bones when the eggs are in the magnum and in the shell gland of the oviduct, respectively. We then evaluated the adhesion activity of these isolated osteoclasts on glass culture dishes and on bone slices, in order to clarify the role of bone matrix proteins in the osteoclast adhesion. In addition, the surface of the bone slices cultured with the isolated osteoclasts was observed with a scanning electron microscope.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Animals:Laying White Leghorn hens (250 to 350 days of age) were given free access to tap water and a standard diet in an air conditioned (22 ± 2°C, room humidity 55 ± 5%) and a controlled light/dark room (15 hr/day of light). In the present study, three hens were used respectively at 3 hr (the bone formative phase) and 15 hr (the bone resorptive phase) after oviposition. The location of the egg in the oviduct was ascertained by autopsy, which revealed that three hens had eggs in the magnum of the oviduct (3 hr after oviposition), and the other three had eggs in the shell gland of the oviduct (15 hr).Isolation and culturing of medullary bone osteoclasts: The procedure for the culture of medull...