title: Investigations of silk fiber/calcium phosphate cement biocomposite for radial bone defect repair in rabbits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to investigate the effects of silk fiber (SF)/calcium phosphate cement (CPC) biocomposite on repairing radial bone defects in rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four-month-old New Zealand rabbits were selected to create a bilateral radial bone defect model and divided into four groups according to implanted material: SF/CPC, SF/CPC/particulate bone (PB), PB, and control (C). The specimens were removed at four and eight postoperative weeks for general observation, X-ray examination, tissue slicing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and biomechanical testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative X-ray showed no bone defect repair in group C and different degrees of bone defect repair in the other three groups. Imaging, histology, and SEM showed the following: group SF/CPC formed fine trabecular bone in week 4, while the maximum bending load in group SF/CPC in week 4 was significantly different from those in the other groups (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SF/CPC has good biocompatibility and bone-inducing ability, demonstrating its bone defect-repairing ability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China.
authors.forename: Chunjie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The People's Hospital of Shangqiu City, Henan, 476000, China.
authors.forename: Yingjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China.
authors.forename: Shiqi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, China. cnjinglongyan@163.com.
authors.forename: Jinglong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000737:chemistry*; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000737:chemistry*; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D011817:Rabbits; D011859:Radiography; D011884:Radius / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D047011:Silk; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D001843:Bone Cements; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D047011:Silk; C020243:calcium phosphate
keywords: Calcium phosphate cement; Radius; Silk fiber; Tissue engineering