title: Stereologic study of the effects of prostaglandin E2 on the induction of angiogenesis in full-thickness skin autografts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether prostaglandin E2 improves angiogenesis in full-thickness skin grafts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized study
  
  
  METHODS
  20 male rabbits, divided into 2 experimental and 2 control groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prostaglandin E2 (experimental groups) or prostaglandin E2 vehicle (control groups) was injected locally into experimental skin autografts once a day for up to 5 days. Five and 10 days after the surgery, the grafts were harvested and after processing, fractional and absolute volumes of the vessels were estimated in the grafted skin using stereologic methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gross appearance of the control and experimental grafts were the same. Qualitative histologic examination of successful grafts in experimental and control groups showed areas of viable epidermis with a negligible inflammatory infiltrate and moderate fibrosis. Blood cells were frequently seen in the vessels under investigation. Histologic slides showed significantly higher mean fractional volume (percent) and absolute volume of the vessels (mm3) per unit volume (mm3) of the grafted skin in the experimental groups than in the control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fractional and absolute volume of the vessels were greater in prostaglandin E2-treated grafts than in the control grafts. Prostaglandin E2 appears to increase the volume of vessels in full-thickness skin grafts and can be explored as an agent to improve angiogenesis of the grafts.
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Tahereh Talaei
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Khozani
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noorafshan
authors.forename: Sasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nikeghbalian
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Panjeh-Shahin
authors.forename: Farzaneh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dehghani
authors.forename: Monireh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azizi
authors.forename: Nader
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanideh
mesh_terms: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D015232:Dinoprostone