Effect of immobilization on the ultrastructure of the golden hamster parathyroid gland.

To investigate the morphological changes of the parathyroid gland of the immobilized hamsters, we studied the ultrastructure of the parathyroid gland of golden hamsters kept in special small cage (Ballman cage II). All hamsters of the control group were kept in one ordinary cage. Each hamster of the isolated group was kept in ordinary cage individually. Each hamster of the immobilized group was kept in Ballman cage II individually. All hamsters were kept for 5 days. On the first and fifth day of the experiment, bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) of whole body were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). In the control and isolated groups, BMD of the fifth day was significantly increased as compared to that of the first day. In the immobilized group BMC and body weight were significantly decreased. There was no significant difference among 3 groups concerning the mean serum calcium level. Volume density of the cell organelles and inclusions was estimated and compared among 3 groups. Volume density of the lysosomes and large vacuolar bodies of the isolated and immobilized groups was significantly higher than that of the control group. Much more lipid droplets were observed in the immobilized group than the control and isolated groups. No particular differences were observed as to the Golgi complex in the isolated and the immobilized groups compared to the control group. These findings suggest that the cellular activity of the parathyroid gland is suppressed with immobilization.