title: Exogenous fibroblast growth factors-1 and -2 do not accelerate fracture healing in the rabbit.
abstract: Both fibroblast growth factors-1 (acidic FGF) and -2 (basic FGF) increase the proliferation of osteoblasts and chondrocytes in vitro and FGF-2 stimulates angiogenesis and bone formation in vivo. To test their effects on rabbit tibial fracture-healing under stable and unstable mechanical conditions, 3 micrograms of either FGF-1 or FGF-2 was injected around rabbit tibial fractures on day 4 after fracture. Neither growth factor had a significant effect on either the size of, or the amounts of bone and cartilage in, the 10-day callus irrespective of the mechanical conditions under which the fracture was healing. The 10-day FGF-2-treated calluses were, however, more mature than FGF-1-treated calluses because the cartilage was separated from the periosteum by bone and endochondral ossification had progressed further. In conclusion, the application of FGF-1 or FGF-2 to normally healing fractures of the rabbit tibia does not have a significant effect on the rate of healing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, St. George's Hospital Medical School, Tooting, London, UK.
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Bland
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Critchlow
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Ashhurst
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002146:Bony Callus / Q000187:drug effects; D016220:Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D016220:Fibroblast Growth Factor 1