title: Three-dimensional co-cultures of osteoblasts and endothelial cells in DegraPol foam: histological and high-field magnetic resonance imaging analyses of pre-engineered capillary networks in bone grafts.
abstract: Tissue engineering of bone grafts was addressed in a critical-sized model on the chick chorioallantoic membrane model, using DegraPol(®) foam as scaffold material. The scaffolds were seeded with cultures of human osteoblasts and human endothelial cells, respectively, or with a co-culture of the two cell types (control: no cells). In vitro samples (7 days cultivation) and ex vivo chorioallantoic membrane model samples at incubation day 15 were analyzed by high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histology. The co-culture system performed best with respect to perfusion, as assessed by contrast-enhanced MRI using gadolinium-diethylene-triamine-pentaacetic acid (DTPA). The scaffold seeded by the co-culture supported an increased vascular ingrowth, which was confirmed by histological analysis. DegraPol foam is a suitable scaffold for bone tissue engineering and the MRI technique allows for nondestructive and quantitative assessment of perfusion capability during early stages of bone forming constructs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, ZKF, Zurich, Switzerland. johanna.buschmann@usz.ch
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buschmann
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Welti
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hemmi
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neuenschwander
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baltes
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giovanoli
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rudin
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calcagni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D001846:Bone Development / Q000502:physiology; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000166:cytology; D002196:Capillaries / Q000254:growth & development*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005740:Gases