Male Wistar rats, three weeks old which corresponds to the human ablactation stage, were used and the effects of a high-protein diet on bone formation in the mandibular condyle at the growth stage was investigated using an electron microscope.
The results were as follows:
1. Compared with the control group, the osteoblasts of the test group showed flat cells in the resting stage sporadically and the intracellular canaliculi were poor in development while the osteoid layer was interposed between the osteoblasts and the calcified layer.
2. Bone cells and osteoclasts showed no changes, as compared with the control group.
On the basis of the foregoing findings, it can be said that activation of the osteoblasts was decreased with the intake of a high-protein diet.