Structural alterations in rat skin and bone collagen fibrils induced by ovariectomy

In this study, the influence of ovariectomy in rat skin and bone (trabecular and cortical) collagen fibrils is examined using electron microscopy. Structural changes (fibril architecture and diameter) were detected, at the ultrastructural level, in skin and bone specimens from ovariectomized rats. The overall collagen fibril architecture was disturbed as compared with normal animals. Treated collagen fibrils' mean diameter values were significantly smaller than those from controls, in all tissues examined. The banding patterns of fibrils were normal in all cases; however, measurements by a computerized method of measuring axial periodicity of fibrils indicated significantly lower values for treated samples than untreated samples. Our results show a correlation between the effects induced by ovariectomy in skin and bone collagen. But, the question of whether these changes play a role in the pathogenesis of ovarian hormone deficiency in osteoporosis remains to be demonstrated.