title: Radiologic and histologic characterization of silk fibroin as scaffold coating for rabbit tracheal defect repair.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the feasibility of silk fibroin as a biomaterial coating used in tracheal defect reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Silk fibroin was subcutaneously embedded in three rabbits and as an artificial implant material coating to reconstruct 12 rabbits' tracheal defects. The postoperative radiologic and histologic characterization was summarized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The thickness of the fibroblasts layer covering the porus and nonporus silk fibroin film was 240.4 +/- 9.9 and 302.3 +/- 10.5 microm, respectively, and there was no statistical difference (P > 0.05) within each group. There was no foreign-body granuloma or macrophagocyte infiltration around the silk film. The tracheal reconstruction study showed a normal mucous membrane with normal cilial growth on the artificial implant and no visible granulation tissue in the reconstructed tracheal cavity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Silk fibroin is a potential new biomaterial coating for tracheal defect reconstruction. The mechanism of silk fibroin appears to promote tracheal mucous membrane, which may be related to its molecular structure and biology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital of Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yusu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhengzhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Wenhong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhengbing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Jack J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005349:Fibroins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D011859:Radiography; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D014025:Titanium; D014132:Trachea / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; C482288:fibroin, silkworm; D005349:Fibroins; D014025:Titanium