EFFECT OF CALCITONIN, ELEVATED CALCIUM AND EXTRACELLULAR MATRICES ON SUPEROXIDE ANION PRODUCTION BY RAT OSTEOCLASTS

The electrochemical determination of superoxide anion generation by is olated mammalian osteoclasts was carried out by employing cytochrome c , immobilized at a surface-modified gold electrode. Osteoclasts cultur ed on bone generated 15-fold more superoxide anions than cells plated on plastic. Superoxide anion production by osteoclasts cultured on bon e was almost completely abolished by salmon calcitonin, and partially abolished following exposure to elevated extracellular calcium. We the refore conclude that osteoclast activity is influenced substantially b y the extracellular matrix.