Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The gross and microscopic structure of artificial bone scaffold materials for tissue engineering can accelerate the process of vascularization.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the degree of vascularization in vivo by using different shapes of β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics, to explore the degree of blood vessels, and to explore the effect of the scaffold materials shapes on vascularization in vivo.
METHODS: Columnar and tubular β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics were implanted in the bilateral back fascia of SD rats.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Radioisotope scan results showed that at weeks 3, 6 and 12 after surgery, the radioactive counting in radionuclide bone imaging of tubular β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics was higher than that of columnar β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics (P < 0.05). Besides, the radioactive counting in radionuclide bone imaging was increased with time. The result of scanning electron microscopy indicated that at week 3, the shapes of materials kept well; furthermore, host fiber tissue and vein grew from the periphery of materials to inside; at week 6 after surgery, vascular proliferation was active in tubular β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics and widely distributed. Vascular proliferation in columnar β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics was mainly centralized in periphery. At week 12 after surgery, the degree of vascularization in the columnar and tubular β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics was higher, and mature fiber tissues and abundant vascular net were seen in the periphery and center of tubular β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics. While fiber tissues and blood vessel in columnar β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics were mainly centralized in the periphery, and centre shaft were less. These findings suggest that tubular β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics was more helpful to vascularization in vivo than columnar β-tricalcium phosphate ceramics.