THE HISTOCHEMISTRY OF THE PREOSSEOUS STAGE OF BONE REPAIR STUDIED BY AUTORADIOGRAPHY

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Abstract
The process of bone repair was studied during the period from 1 to 28 days with the aid of S35. Effect of cortisone, 1 mg/50 g of body weight was also studied to determine the effect upon sulfur metabolism and bone repair. Radiographs, macroradioautographs, and microradioautographs were prepared in addition to histological methods for cellular changes and metachromasia in skeletal tissue. Special attention was given to the number and distribution of mast cells in the region of the fracture. Areas of uptake of radioactive sulfur corresponded to areas of tissue that showed metachromasia. S35 was metabolized within 48 hours in the deeper layer of the periosteum adjacent to the fracture. On the 7th day, it was concentrated even more heavily in connection with the formation of cartilaginous and medullary blastemal tissue. The S35 was used by differentiating the cells and its localization correlated also with the distribution of enzyme alkaline phosphatase in both chondrogenetic and osteogenetic tissues. Cortisone produced an accumulation of periosteal and endosteal cartilaginous tissue. Mast cells exhibiting metachromasia and containing S35 appeared 48 hours after the fracture and persisted for the next 14 days near the fracture site. The aggregation of cells was adjacent to rather than in the fracture defect, and could not be connected with lymphatic blockage or rupture of blood vessels. The presence of mast cells between the 2d and 14th days in the area of the fracture suggested a relationship to the inflammatory and early post-inflammatory phase of bone repair.
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