title: The resorption of bone-implanted corals varies with porosity but also with the host reaction.
abstract: Three different exoskeletons of coral species Porites asteroides (P), Montastrea annularis (M), and Dichocoenia stokesi (D) were implanted for 2-20 weeks in rabbits. At 2, 4, 8, or 20 weeks, the exoskeletons presented variations in their resorptions depending on the species. To understand the variations in the decreasing speed of the implants despite their similar chemical composition, a study of the surface and architecture of the coral was carried out using scanning electronic microscopy, porosity was evaluated, and growth and differentiation of osteogenic cells cultured in vitro were observed for more than 1 month. At the cellular level, the surface of the implants was identical. Three-dimensional structures of the implants were variable, but the porosity values [P = 42.7%, M = 40.7%, and D = 17.4%] could not completely account for the differences in the resorbing process of the species. Standard histologic studies performed at 2, 4, 8, and 20 weeks after implantation produced the same pattern with P or M, showing aspects of rapid resorption; however, with D there were images resembling those of a foreign-body reaction. It seems that when resorption is not quick enough, a foreign body reaction develops which further slows down the process. This work focuses on the importance of porosity when using coral as bone substitute.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Anatomie Pathologique, CHR, Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roudier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bouchon
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rouvillain
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amédée
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bareille
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rouais
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fricain
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dupuy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kien
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jeandot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003063:Cnidaria; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000503:physiopathology; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016062:Porosity; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011817:Rabbits; D013045:Species Specificity; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology