Influence of growth hormone and thyroxine on endochondral osteogenesis in the mandibular condyle and proximal tibial epiphysis.

Interrelationships of growth hormone and thyroxine effects on endochondral osteogenesis have been investigated. Evidence is offered that thyroxine augments the effect of growth hormone on the mandibular condyle just as at other osteogenetic centers, for example proximal tibial epiphysis in hypophysectomized rats. This contrasts with previous reports of a unique thyroxine antagonism to the effect of growth hormone on condylar development. In a further study on tibial epiphysis, special attention was given to assure absence of the endogenous thyroid hormone by adding thyroidectomy to hypophysectomy and reducing the possibility of thyroteopin residues in growth hormone. By histochemical tests, the responses of both calcified and noncalcified regions of the epiphyseal cartilage plate were measured. Graded growth hormone doses stimulated graded response in a noncalcified region. Thyroxine augmented this response eightfold. The width of the calcified region of the plate did not vary with treatment.