Deer antlerogenic periosteum: a piece of postnatally retained embryonic tissue?

Abstract

This article reviews the research findings on the piece of periosteum overlying the lateral crest of prepubertal deer frontal bone, known as antlerogenic periosteum (AP). AP was initially discovered by Hartwig and Schrudde in 1974 when searching for the tissue that gives rise to antlers. In their experiment, when AP was transplanted elsewhere on the deer body it formed ectopic antlers. This clearly shows that AP possesses full selfdifferentiating ability, an attribute that can only be paralleled by embryonic tissue in mammals, like lateral plate mesoderm (LPM). Studies along this line by Goss in the 1980s further demonstrated that AP also holds the patterning information for antler formation. In the 1990s, our group carried out a series of studies on this unique tissue. The results showed that some of the critical features of AP resemble those of embryonic tissues, such as the astonishing growth potential in vivo and in vitro, and rich glycogen content. Histological observations and cell lineage tracing using a genetic marker convincingly demonstrate that pedicles and antlers are the derivatives of AP. Based on these findings, we advanced a hypothesis that AP is a piece of postnatally retained embryonic tissue. Morphological and histological examinations on the presumptive antler growth regions in deer prenatal life showed that the growth of primordial pedicles is initiated in the early pregnant stage (about 55 days) but then ceases (about 100 days) and is subsequently repressed at the late stage of pregnancy. The epidermis overlying the primordial pedicles resembles the apical ectoderm ridge (multicellular layer). These results strongly support our hypothesis. The results from the specific comparison between deer antler formation (from AP in postnatal) and mammalian limb development (from LPM in prenatal) showed that the ontogeny of antlers and limbs are comparable, and that deer antler has the same level of regulative properties as mammalian limbs. We believe that revealing the mechanism underly-ing the retention of embryonic tissue properties by AP until deer postnatal life will have important implications in biomedical research. Antler formation from AP offers an ideal model to work with in investigating how a selfdifferentiating system functions.

Role of heterotypic tissue interactions in deer pedicle and first antler formation—revealed via a membrane insertion approach

“…First antler generation has been thought to be comparable to limb formation (Li and Suttie, 2001). However, the results from this study do not fully support this claim.…”

“…It has been convincingly demonstrated by a combination of tissue deletion and transplantation studies that the antlerogenic potential is exclusively held in the periosteum overlying deer frontal crests. Removal of the periosteum abrogates future pedicle and antler formation from the original region; transplantation of the periosteum elsewhere on the deer body induces ectopic pedicle and antler to grow (Hartwig and Schrudde, '74;Goss and Powel, '85;Li and Suttie, 2001). However, transplantation of the skin overlying the periosteum elsewhere on the deer body fails to yield an ectopic pedicle and antler even if the grafted skin survives for many years (Goss,'72).…”

Deer antler regeneration: Cells, concepts, and controversies

“…The pedicle periosteum is a derivative of the socalled antlerogenic periosteum, a morphologically distinct tissue containing committed cells that form the pedicle and first antler (Hartwig and Schrudde, 1974;Goss and Powel, 1985;Kierdorf, 2001, 2002;Li and Suttie, 2001). Deletion of the antlerogenic periosteum, which is located over the external frontal crests, prevents pedicle and antler growth, while transplantation to other regions of the body causes ectopic (pedicle and) antler formation (Hartwig, 1967;Hartwig and Schrudde, 1974;Goss and Powel, 1985;Kierdorf, 2000, 2001;Li and Suttie, 2001).…”

“…Deletion of the antlerogenic periosteum, which is located over the external frontal crests, prevents pedicle and antler growth, while transplantation to other regions of the body causes ectopic (pedicle and) antler formation (Hartwig, 1967;Hartwig and Schrudde, 1974;Goss and Powel, 1985;Kierdorf, 2000, 2001;Li and Suttie, 2001).…”

Study on the Varying Patterns of Total Phospholipids, Selenium, Phosphorus, Reducing Sugar and Total Sugar, Hydrolyzed Amino Acids in the Velvet Antler of Northeast Sika Deer in Growth Period

“…Arginine and citrulline formation of urea is very important; cystine intake will cause reduction of insulin, blood sugar. Another example is the post-traumatic cystine and arginine requirements increase [19], such as the lack of adequate energy even if you still can not synthesize proteins. Thus, the presence of amino acids in the human body, not only provides an important raw material for the synthesis of proteins, but also for the promotion of growth and normal metabolism, provides the material basis of life-sustaining…”