Bone mineral in the castrated rat model of osteopenia.

The effects of castration on cortical bone structure and chemistry were studied in male Wistar rats of two age groups, 8 and 24 months. Some rats were castrated and some were sham operated (control) in each group. All animals were killed after 4 months. Although no changes in serum chemistry, bone chemistry, or bone histology could be found, the young castrated animals versus controls showed less density of bone mineral as determined by the density fractionation technique and smaller crystallite size of mineral particles as determined by x-ray diffraction line-broadening analysis. These changes, indicative of less mature bone formation, were not observed in mature castrated or control rats despite a decreased amount of bone compared with young rats. In this model, castration appears to affect bone mineral quality in young but not in old animals.