title: A novel approach for studying microcirculation in bone defects by intravital fluorescence microscopy.
abstract: Angiogenic and inflammatory responses to biodegradable scaffolds were previously studied using the dorsal skinfold chamber for testing different scaffold materials. In this model, the angiogenic response originates from the soft tissue of the skin. Herein, we introduce a new model that allows the study of developing microcirculation of bone defects for testing tissue-engineered constructs. A bone defect was prepared in the femur of Balb/c mice by inserting a pin for intramedullary fixation, and a custom-made observation window fixed over the defect allowed constant observation. This study included three different groups: empty defect (control), defect filled with porous poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide), and beta-tricalcium-phosphate scaffolds. Starting from 6 days after surgery, angiogenesis, neovascularization, leukocyte-endothelial cell interaction, and microvascular permeability were analyzed over 22 days by using intravital fluorescence microscopy. The empty defects showed no signs of angiogenesis during the observation period, but a distinct increase of capillary density was detected in the scaffold-containing defects. Surprisingly, the histological sections of the scaffold-treated defects showed new bone formation 22 days after implantation. We present a new bone chamber model for intravital long-term study of scaffold materials suitable for bone reconstruction in mice by using fluorescence microscopy.
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. tavassol.frank@mh-hannover.de
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Tavassol
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Kampmann
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Schumann
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Lindhorst
authors: Horst
authors: H
authors: Kokemüller
authors: Harald
authors: H
authors: Essig
authors: Jan-Helge
authors: JH
authors: Meemken
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Rücker
authors: Nils-Claudius
authors: NC
authors: Gellrich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000378:metabolism; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D036904:Leukocyte Rolling / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D055806:Microvessels / Q000187:drug effects; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000880:Anthraquinones; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; C485817:beta-tricalcium phosphate; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; C010078:alizarin