I . Rats were given a rachitogenic diet for 28 days; some were dosed with vitamin D z or 3 days before they were killed and some received vitamin D throughout the experiment.2. Parathyroid leucine aminopeptidase was measured histochemically as an index of parathyroid activity and silver impregnation as a criterion of bone calcification.3. Calcium and phosphorus were estimated in bone ash and in serum. In rats killed z days after a single dose of vitamin D, increases were found in the Ca and P content of serum and bones and in epiphyseal Ca deposition. Parathyroid activity was decreased. In rats killed 3 days after a dose of vitamin D there was a marked increase in serum Ca and P but a less clear change in bone Ca and P although epiphyseal calcification was evident. The parathyroid activity was less than in rats dosed throughout the experiment.In previous studies of the effect of vitamin D on enzyme activities in the rat (Cheesman, Copping & Prebble, 1964, 1966, changes were observed after 1-7 weeks' deprivation and after I week of recovery. The leucine aminopeptidase activity of the parathyroids appeared to be the most sensitive index of the vitamin D status of the animal. In the present study an attempt was made to ascertain the time required for a measurable response to vitamin D in parathyroids, serum and bones of deprived rats. For this purpose rats given a single curative dose of vitamin D were compared with deficient and normal rats.
E X P E R I M E N T A LAnimals and procedure Litter-mate pairs (C45) or trios (C46) of male rats of the Lister Institute black and white stock maintained at Queen Elizabeth College were placed on Steenbock's rachitogenic diet 2965 (Steenbock & Black, 1925) at 28 days of age. The diet was given for 28 days with addition of vitamin A and with or without vitamin D. Some of the deprived rats were given a single dose of 10 i.u. vitamin D. These are referred to as ' recovery' animals.In series C45 both rats received the unsupplemented rachitogenic diet for 28 days, one having the single dose of vitamin D48 h before killing. In series C46 two rats had no supplement, one of this pair having the single dose of vitamin D 72 h before killing ; the third rat received vitamin D throughout the 28 days.Preparation of tissues For determination of serum Ca and P, blood was collected from the tail vein under sodium barbital anaesthesia, allowed to clot, centrifuged and the serum decanted and stored at -1 0 ' . Wilk & King (1963) showed that storage under these conditions did not affect Ca determinations.https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi