EFFECT OF DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE SULFATE AND TESTOSTERONE ON DEVELOPMENT OF CHICK EMBRYO FRONTAL BONES IN VITRO

Chick embryo frontal bones at 12 days of development, cultivated in vitro on plasma clots with dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in a concentration 1mM, exhibit periosteal hyperplasia and increased synthesis of osteoid tissue. These phenomena are not observed when 11-day frontals are cultivated in similar conditions. Testosterone produces the same effects as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. Both steroids seem to act directly on bone as can be inferred from the experimental conditions employed. The alkaline phosphatase activity of chick embryo frontal bones at 12 days of development is significantly increased when the rudiments are cultivated in a medium containing dehydro-epiandrosterone or testosterone. In both cases a) enzyme kinetics experiments revealed that there is activation of the enzyme and b) the apparent maximum velocities obtained are hihgly correlated with the logarithm of the doses employed. When assayed simultaneously, both steroids were found equally active in promoting the increase in alkaliue phosphatase activity. © 1968 Springer-Verlag.