The Journal of endocrinology
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Parathyroid hormone (PTH) stimulates bone resorption as well as bone formation in vivo and in organ culture. The catabolic actions of PTH have been recognized in patients with hyperparathyroidism, or with acute infusion of the N-terminal 1-34 fragment of human PTH (hPTH1-34). Whereas the anabolic actions of daily injection with PTH have been well studied in both humans and mice, the catabolic actions of PTH on murine bone remain to be defined. ⋯ Micro-computed tomography (muCT) analysis of the distal femurs revealed that hPTH1-34 infusion significantly decreased trabecular connectivity density (P<0.05). Thus, the murine bone response to continuous PTH infusion was quite different from that seen with daily PTH injection. Short-term infusion of hPTH1-34 appears to be a good model to study the mechanisms underlying the catabolic action of PTH in mice.