Induction of metabolic changes and down regulation of bovine parathyroid hormone-responsive adenylate cyclase are dissociable in isolated osteoclastic and osteoblastic bone cells.

Bovine parathyroid hormone (PTH), dibutyryl cAMP, and calcium each induce similar metabolic changes in isolated bone cells. PTH and calcium, but not dibutyryl cAMP, result in desensitization of osteoclastic and osteoblastic bone cells to PTH. In osteoblastic cells, calcium effects are specific for PTH receptor.adenylate cyclase complexes and responsiveness to other hormones is not reduced while in osteoclastic cells, small effects of high calcium on prostaglandin E1- and epinephrine-inducible cAMP accompany the large decreases seen in cAMP response to PTH. The membrane effects of calcium and of PTH appear to be independently regulated as PTH-induced desensitization can be initiated in the absence of calcium. In addition, calcium effects on PTH-sensitive adenylate cyclase follow a different calcium dose-response than PTH-like metabolic changes. These results suggest that the effect of calcium on the membrane is not directly related to its induction of PTH-like metabolic changes. A possible role of calcium as an in vivo regulator of bone cell sensitivity to PTH is discussed.