Orthotopic Osteogenecity Enhanced by a Porous Gelatin Sponge in a Critical-Sized Rat Calvaria Defect.

The gelatin (Gel) powders, derived from acidic and basic extractions of porcine dermis (referred to as AE and BE), were processed for the porous sponge preparation. The disks, which were less than or greater than 500 µm in diameter [small (S) and large (L) pores, respectively] in both extractions and had an interconnected structure respectively, were implanted in critical-sized defects (CSD) of rat calvaria for 4 and 8 weeks to analyze the bone repair capability. Only the AE-S disk induced bone formation (over 60%) histomorphometrically in the CSD after 8 weeks, although the collagen orientation of the regenerated bone was still immature. Osteoblastic cell culture until 14 days did not substantiate marked superiority of AE-S disk regarding the proliferation and the differentiation, although the initial attachment was enhanced on AE-S disk than BE-L disk. The results provide the findings that a Gel sponge with a specific porous structure is capable of inducing orthotopic bone formation in vivo environment.

The role of an octacalcium phosphate in the re-formation of infraspinatus tendon insertion.

BACKGROUND: To improve the success rate of rotator cuff repair, we investigated whether octacalcium phosphate (OCP) with gelatin (Gel) vehicle had a positive effect on tendon-to-bone healing. METHODS: We assessed the histologic characteristics of the tendon-to-bone healing using the rabbit rotator cuff repair model. We divided the shoulders into 3 groups: control (without OCP/Gel composite), OCP/Gel composite (OCP+group), and Gel alone without OCP (Gel group) to evaluate the effectiveness of gelatin. RESULTS: Both the number of newly formed tendon fibers and the Sharpey fibers at the repair site increased in the OCP+group compared with those in the other 2 groups on hematoxylin-eosin staining (P < .05). On immunohistochemical evaluation, both the bone and the fibers in the OCP+group demonstrated that type I collagen was picked up, whereas the newly formed tendon fibers and Sharpey fibers revealed type III collagen. CONCLUSION: Treatment with OCP made collagen fibers and the Sharpey fibers, constituted by type I and type III collagens, increase at the tendon-to-bone insertion. It might be beneficial for the healing of rotator cuff tendon to bone.

Osteoconductive property of a mechanical mixture of octacalcium phosphate and amorphous calcium phosphate.

The present study was designed to investigate the extent of osteoconductive property of a mechanical mixture of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) and amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP). OCP was mixed with ACP in granules that had a diameter of 300 and 500 µm, respectively, and at 25, 50, or 75 wt %. The physicochemical characteristics and the osteoconductive properties of the mixtures were compared with OCP alone or ACP alone through implantation into rat critical-sized calvaria defects for up to 12 weeks and simulated body fluid (SBF) immersion for 2 weeks. The mixtures of OCP and ACP, in particular the OCP 25 wt % and ACP 75 wt % (O25A75), had higher radiopacity compared to ACP and OCP alone. O25A75 induced greater enhancement of bone regeneration than ACP alone at 8 weeks and that than OCP alone at 12 weeks. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyses of the retrieved mixtures showed that ACP, OCP, and O25A75 tended to convert to hydroxyapatite (HA) after the implantation, while the structure of OCP remains without complete conversion after SBF immersion. Analyses by FTIR curve fitting of the solids and the degree of supersaturation of the SBF supported the observation that the existence of ACP enhances the kinetics of the conversion. Scanning electron microscopy found that the surface of O25A75 had distinct characteristics with OCP and ACP after SBF immersion. The results suggest that the extent of the osteoconduction of OCP could be controlled by the copresence of ACP most probably through the prevailing dissolution-precipitation of the surface of ACP crystals to form HA.

The regenerated bone quality by implantation of octacalcium phosphate collagen composites in a canine alveolar cleft model.

OBJECTIVE: Synthetic octacalcium phosphate and porcine atelocollagen composites significantly enhanced bone regeneration more than ß-tricalcium phosphate collagen composite and hydroxyapatite collagen composite in a rat cranial defect model. However, the long-term stability and quality of octacalcium phosphate collagen (OCP/Col) composites-derived regenerated bone, when implanted in a canine alveolar cleft model, have yet to be elucidated. The present study investigated the longterm stability and quality of bone regenerated by OCP/Col. DESIGN: Disks of OCP/Col or collagen were implanted in a canine alveolar-cleft model (n = 6). Then, bone regeneration in the implanted areas was investigated macroscopically, radiographically, and histologically at 10 months after implantation. In addition, three-dimensional quantitative images of regenerated bone were analyzed by microcomputed tomography. RESULTS: Macroscopically, the OCP/Col treated alveolus was clearly augmented, and radio-opacity in the OCP/Col implanted area was comparable to that of the original alveolus bone. On histological analysis, the area was mostly filled with newly formed bone, and a few granules of implanted OCP/Col were enclosed in it. In the microcomputed tomography analysis, the regenerated bone volume in the OCP/Col group was larger than that in the collagen group. OCP/Col-derived bone consisted of outer cortical and inner cancellous structure with dense trabeculae and seemed like the original bone structure. CONCLUSIONS: OCP/Co composites could be a useful bone regenerative material to substitute for autogenous bone because their implantation could elicit high bone regeneration and active structural reconstitution.