Chemical composition of the skeletal parts of the extremity of the adult rat following below-knee amputation and immobilisation in a plaster cast.

The chemical composition, i.e. ash and calcium contents and organic, hydroxyproline, and hexosamine contents of the acetone-dried diaphyseal cortical bone powder of the tibias and the femurs, was studied in adult rats after a) below-knee amputation and b) immobilisation of the one hind leg in a plaster cast. There were no significant differences in the chemical composition of the chemical composition of the bones of the treated extremity as compared with the corresponding bones from the non-treated control leg, either at different times after the amputation and immobilisation, respectively, or when all obtained values from each bone were tested together. The percentage hydroxyproline content of the tibia was found to be significantly higher than that of the femur in both extremities, both in the amputation and in the immobilisation experiment. The pro mille hexosamine content of the tibia, on the other hand, was significantly lower than that of the femur in both extremeities in the immobilisation experiment.