RT Journal A1 Robinson RA T1 THe ultrastructural appearance of bone cells and bone matrix in renal osteodystrophy JF Archives of Internal Medicine JO Archives of Internal Medicine YR 1969 FD November 1 VO 124 IS 5 SP 519 OP 529 DO 10.1001/archinte.1969.00300210001001 UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1969.00300210001001 AB Many patients with renal insufficiency have renal osteodystrophy.1,2 Follis and Jackson 3 found that among 39 adults dying with renal insufficiency, 19 had osteomalacia and 12 had osteitis fibrosa on histologic examination of their skeletons. Many had combined lesions.Osteomalacia is characterized by bone matrix that can potentially mineralize but hasn't done so.4,5 For instance, in vivo, long after bone matrix formation (osteoid) has occurred in rachitic animals, that matrix is mineralizable when the cause of the rickets is removed.6 As might be expected from the water displacement theory of bone mineralization 7-9 osteomalacic bone has an abnormally high water content.10In renal osteodystrophy, unlike rickets with vitamin D deficiency or a low phosphate value, osteomalacia is not usually due to a low calcium-phosphorus product.11 Usually this product in the patient with chronic renal failure is elevated rather than depressed (Table). There are many theories about the cause of osteomalacia,