Free Amino-Acids in Rachitic Epiphyseal Cartilage of Albino Rat and the Influence of Vitamin D

Abstract

IT was suggested by Dikshit and Patwardhan¹ that administration of vitamin D imparted an enhanced calcifying capacity to rachitic bone and cartilage. Histochemical work by Ramalingaswami et al.² on cartilage in rickets and during healing under the influence of vitamin D, revealed an alteration in the staining characteristics of the cartilage matrix on the basis of which they suggested that vitamin D influenced the glycoprotein of the rachitic cartilage matrix. Dikshit³ observed a decrease in the hexosamine content of the rachitic cartilage during healing induced by the administration of vitamin D. It was felt desirable, therefore, to investigate whether vitamin D influenced the protein metabolism of the cartilage. The effect of vitamin D on the free amino-acids of rachitic cartilage was studied as a preliminary to such investigations.