马鹿（Cervus elaphus）鹿茸生长过程中的血液成分和组织学变化及其与血浆睾酮水平的关系。

Muir P D, Sykes A R, Barrell G K

Animal Sciences Group, Lincoln College, University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

J Anat. 1988 Jun;158:31-42.

Antlers were removed sequentially from 18 mature red deer stags between 28 and 112 days after casting of the previous hard antlers and the blood volume determined and structure investigated histologically. One antler from each stag was removed during the growth phase, the other at velvet shedding. Antler blood volume increased linearly, with increasing antler weight at a rate of 194 ml/kg between 28 and 91 days after casting but subsequently declined rapidly. A zone of mineralisation occurred between 5 and 10 cm below the antler tip until 91 days but was subsequently markedly reduced in size and replaced by bone. Between 91 and 112 days growth slowed and a rapid increase in formation of compact cortical bone occurred in the periphery of the whole antler. These changes were associated with increasing circulating levels of testosterone.

在前一批硬鹿角脱落后28至112天之间，依次从18只成年雄性马鹿身上取下鹿角，测定其血量，并进行组织学结构研究。每只雄鹿在鹿角生长阶段取下一只鹿角，另一只在鹿茸脱落时取下。鹿角血量呈线性增加，在脱落后28至91天内，随着鹿角重量增加，增加速率为194毫升/千克，但随后迅速下降。在鹿角尖下方5至10厘米处，直到91天一直存在一个矿化区域，但随后其大小显著减小并被骨组织取代。在91至112天之间，生长减缓，整个鹿角外周致密皮质骨的形成迅速增加。这些变化与睾酮循环水平的升高有关。