Treatment of the growing pedicle with retinoic acid increased the size of first antlers in fallow deer (Dama dama L.)

Unilateral injection of 10 mg of all-trans retinoic acid (RA) into the late ral portion of the growing pedicle of fallow bucks (n = 20) led to a signif icant (P = 0.033, Wilcoxon matched-pairs test) increase in first antler vol ume (median, 25.5 ml) as compared to the contralateral (control) side, inje cted with vehicle only (median, 21.5 mi). It is hypothesized that the RA tr eatment of the developing pedicle exercised a direct or indirect effect on the periosteal/perichondrial cells covering the growing cranial appendage, resulting in an increased proliferation rate of the cells of the antler per ichondrium. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.