LIGHT-MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS ON THE OSSIFICATION PROCESS IN THE EARLY DEVELOPING PEDICLE OF FALLOW DEER (DAMA-DAMA)

The ossification process of the early developing pedicle was studied i n five male fallow deer fawns, aged about seven months. The incipient pedicle was covered by a periosteum, the cambial layer of which was si gnificantly thicker at the apex of the outgrowth than in the more peri pheral areas of the pedicle. As was demonstrated histologically, in th e central part of the pedicle elongation occurred by a process corresp onding to endochondral ossification, whereas in the more peripheral ar eas the pedicle became enlarged by typical intramembranous ossificatio n. Thus, cartilage formation must be regarded as a normal feature in p edicle growth of fallow deer. The assumption that the transition from pedicle to first antler growth in cervids is reflected by a switch fro m intramembranous ossification to chondrogenesis at the apex of the gr owing primary cranial appendage, based mainly on observations in roe d eer, does, therefore, not hold for fallow deer. Furthermore, histogene sis of the central part of the fallow deer pedicle closely resembles t he developmental events leading to formation of subsequent antlers.