In this study, we determined the effects of indomethacin and calcitonin on bone resorption in otosclerosis-like lesions in rats. Morphometric analysis showed that both indomethacin and calcitonin inhibited active otosclerosis-like lesions (bone resorption) and rats immunologically induced with type II collagen, and indomethacin had a much higher inhibitory effect than calcitonin. In in vitro studies we found that conditioned medium from splenic lymphocytes of rats immunized with type II collagen stimulated collagenase production by macrophages and fibroblasts. Collagenase is the major enzyme for degradation of the organic components of bone. Treatment of the immunized rats with indomethacin and calcitonin significantly reduced the stimulatory effect of the lymphocyte-conditioned medium on collagenase production. Indomethacin caused a greater reduction of the stimulatory effect of the lymphocytes on collagenase production than calcitonin. These findings are in agreement with results of the morphometric study. Results of the present study also suggest that cell-to-cell interaction plays an important role in collagenase production for degradation of organic components of bone resorption in otosclerotic lesions.