title: Effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on early stages of tendon healing: a rat patellar tendon model.
abstract: We studied the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on cell proliferation, type III collagen expression, ultimate stress and the pyridinoline content in the early stages of healing in rat patellar tendon. 96 male Sprague Dawley rats were injected with increasing doses of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) at 3 days after a "window defect" was induced in the mid-part of the patellar tendon. They were killed at 7 and 14 days after the injury. A dose-dependent increase in the number of proliferating cells and the level of expression of type III collagen was demonstrated at only 7 days post-injury. On the other hand, we found no effects of bFGF on ultimate stress and the pyridinoline content of healing tendons. Only time significantly affected both strength-associated parameters. We showed that in vivo supplementation with bFGF affected the initial events of healing such as cell proliferation and type III collagen expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT. bpchan@netvigator.com
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Rolf
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010329:Patella / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; C015484:pyridinoline; D003094:Collagen