The influence of ‘hypophysectomy’ by means of surgical decapitation on skeletal growth in the developing chick embryo

Wet, dry, and ash weights and calcium content were determined on demarrowed tibiae of normal and ‘hypophysectomized’ chick embryos from days 10·5 to 19·5 of incubation. All parameters noted above increased progressively through developmental time in normal embryos. ‘Hypophysectomy’ significantly affected bone wet and dry weights, and total mineral and calcium content. The data indicate that mineralization and matrix synthesis are retarded in the absence of the pituitary.