Study on nano-structured hydroxyapatite/zirconia stabilized yttria on healing of articular cartilage defect in rabbit

PURPOSE: Articular Cartilage has limited potential for self-repair and tissue engineering approaches attempt to repair articular cartilage by scaffolds. We hypothesized that the combined hydroxyapatite and zirconia stabilized yttria would enhance the quality of cartilage healing. METHODS: In ten New Zealand white rabbits bilateral full-thickness osteochondral defect, 4 mm in diameter and 3 mm depth, was created on the articular cartilage of the patellar groove of the distal femur. In group I the scaffold was implanted into the right stifle and the same defect was created in the left stifle without any transplant (group II). Specimens were harvested at 12 weeks after implantation, examined histologically for morphologic features, and stained immunohistochemically for type-II collagen. RESULTS: In group I the defect was filled with a white translucent cartilage tissue In contrast, the defects in the group II remained almost empty. In the group I, the defects were mostly filled with hyaline-like cartilage evidenced but defects in group II were filled with fibrous tissue with surface irregularities. Positive immunohistochemical staining of type-II collagen was observed in group I and it was absent in the control group. CONCLUSION: The hydroxyapatite/yttria stabilized zirconia scaffold would be an effective scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering.

Implantes de zircônia reforçada com ítria (Y-TZP): avaliação histomorfométrica / Y-TZP dental implants: histomorfometry analysis

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar in vivo a osseointegração de implantes produzidos em zircônia reforçada com ítria (Y-TZP) e compará-los com o implante de titânio usinado e com o de superfície jateada com brushita. Para tanto, nas tíbias de 20 coelhos machos (n=10) e fêmeas (n=10) foram implantadas em uma das tíbias o implante Y-TZP (GE-1, n=10 implantes) e na outra tíbia o titânio usinado (GC, n=5 implantes) ou jateado com brushita (GE-2, n=5 implantes). Os animais receberam marcadores ósseos fluorescentes, tetraciclina (14 e 21 dias), alizarina (28 e 35 dias) e calceína (42 e 49 dias) após a cirurgia de implantação. Ao final de 56 dias, a região dos implantes foi coletada e processada histologicamente para obtenção de cortes teciduais não desmineralizados. Nas imagens obtidas no microscópio confocal foi avaliado o percentual de área para cada marcador. Nos cortes corados pelo azul de toluidina foi avaliado morfologicamente a qualidade do tecido ósseo formado e a existência de interposição de tecido conjuntivo entre osso e implante, e morfometricamente determinado o percentual de contato osso-implante (BIC) e o percentual de tecido ósseo próximo à superfície do implante (BA). Os resultados mostraram que, não houve diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre machos e fêmeas quanto aos parâmetros avaliados. Com relação aos grupos, GE-1 e GC apresentaram cortical óssea remanescente íntegra e formação de um tecido ósseo maduro/lamelar na superfície dos implantes. No GE-2 ocorreu intensa reabsorção da cortical óssea pre-existente próxima ao implante e extensa formação óssea mais imatura em relação aos observados no GE-1 e GC. Essa intensa reabsorção e extensa formação óssea fez com que o percentual de área dos marcadores fluorescentes fosse em média 0,73 vezes maior no GE-2 em relação aos grupos GE-1 e GC. Com relação ao BIC não houve diferença entre os grupos, sendo em média de 47,8%, porém, o BA no grupo GC (66,2%) foi 0,33 vezes...

The aim of this work was evaluate in vivo the osseointegration of implants produced with yttria stabilized zirconia (Y-TZP) and compare it with machined titanium implant and sandblasted surface with brushita titanium. Therefore, on the tibia of 20 rabbits males (n=10) and female (n=10) were implanted in one of the tibias the implant Y-TZP (GE-1, n=10 implants) and on the other tibia the machined titanium (GC, n=5 implants) or sandblasted surface with brushita titanium (GE-2, n=5 implants). The animals received fluorescent bone markers, tetracycline (14th and 21th days), alizarin (28th and 35th days) and calcein (42th and 49th days). At the end of 56 days, the implants regions were collected and histomorphometrically processed to obtain tissue sections not demineralized. On images obtained from confocal microscopy was evaluated the percentage of area for each bone markers. On slides stained with toluidine blue was measured morphologically the quality of formed bone tissue and the existence of interposition of connective tissue between bone and implant, and was morphometrically determined the percentage of bone-implant contact (BIC) and the percentage of bone tissue next to the implant surface (BA). The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between male and female regarding to evaluated parameters. Concerning to the groups, GE-1 and GC exhibited wholesome remaining cortical bone and formation of mature/lamellar bone tissue on implants surface. In GE-2 ocurred intense reabsorption of preexisting cortical bone next to the implant and extensive bone formation more immature than GE-1 and GC. This intense reabsorption and extensive bone formation made the GE-2 area percentage for fluorescent markers 0.73 times higher on average when compared to GE-1 and GC. About the BIC, there were no differences between the groups, with an average of 47.8%, however, the BA on GC group (66.2%) was 0.33 higher compared to GE-1...