The effect of tetracyclin on the processes of calcification of the otoliths in the developing chick embryo

Abstract

It is known that tetracyclin is fixed in calcified tissues and that it can have an inhibitory action on calcification processes under certain conditions (Saxén, 1966). The mechanism by which tetracyclin is bound to the calcified structures is not clearly understood. Some workers believe that there is simple chelation between the antibiotic and calcium (Albert, 1953); others believe that the fixation of tetracyclin is mediated by more complex mechanisms (Sternberg, 1966; Saxén, 1966). The latter hypothesis is based on the observation of the presence of both a stable complex of tetracyclin-Ca and an unstable form from which either the calcium or the tetracyclin can undergo rapid changes.