Quantitative estimation of the osteoplastic activity of osteocytes experimentally induced in the femur of laying hens.

: The extent of osteocytic osteoplasia has been studied in laying hens fed for seven days a hypocalcaemic diet and returned to the commercial laying ratio. The microscopic examination of the femur shows the presence of newly formed bone matrix on the wall of osteocytic lacunae, much more numerous in the experimental animals than in the controls. The physiological significance of the finding is briefly discussed.