Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2026

Generation of Hypoparathyroid Rats via Carbon-Nanoparticle-Assisted Parathyroidectomy
Published on: July 14, 2023
Morphological changes in the parathyroid gland of rats with humoral hypercalcaemia of malignancy
M Nakanishi1, O Sawamoto, M Kawashima
1Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Gakuencho 1-1, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan.
Abstract:
Morphological changes in parathyroid chief cells were investigated in rats with humoral hypercalcaemia of malignancy (HHM), induced by intraperitoneal inoculation with a rat pulmonary adenocarcinoma cell line, IP-B12. Inoculation with IP-B12 cells resulted in the production of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP); thus, IP-B12-bearing rats developed hypercalcaemia, with elevated plasma PTHrP concentrations and decreased serum PTH, at 5 to 7 weeks after the inoculation. Morphometrical analysis revealed an increase in the cytoplasmic area of chief cells in IP-B12-bearing rats, as compared with controls. Ultrastructurally, although the number of mature storage granules in the chief cells was similar in controls and IP-B12-bearing animals, degraded granules were significantly increased in tumour-bearing rats. In addition, the chief cells of IP-B12-bearing rats showed a trend towards decreased tortuosity of the cytoplasmic membrane, with simple interdigitations between adjacent cells. These findings suggested that under HHM conditions, PTH granules in the chief cells were maintained in the form of storage granules and were hydrolysed, resulting in the suppression of PTH release into the blood circulation. Serum PTH concentrations may be regulated by inhibition of secretion rather than suppression of granular synthesis in hypercalcaemic rats. This is the first description of morphological changes in the parathyroid gland of rats with HHM.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
The Parathyroid Glands
Oxyphil cells, whose functions remain elusive, emerge during late puberty, adding a layer of complexity to the parathyroid gland's intricacies. In contrast, principal parathyroid cells undertake a vital role by producing...
Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
Synthesis and Functions of Calcitonin
The exact mechanisms by which calcitonin operates in calcium homeostasis remain elusive, but its significance is evident in several vital...
Graves Disease II: Pathophysiology
Hyperthyroidism I: Introduction

