Evaluation methods for small vascular network distribution and counting around the knee joint in rats / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:With the deepening of bone tissue engineering research and bone metabolism understanding, it is a hotspot to analyze the blood supply and nutritional status of tissue-engineered bone. OBJECTIVE:To compare different methods for evaluating smal vascular network distribution around the knee joint in rats in order to provide a guideline for the study of microvascular network in tissue-engineered bone. METHODS:Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups, with six rats in each group. Three commonly methods were used to evaluate the smal vascular network around the knee joint in rats:immunohistochemistry analysis, angiography analysis, and CT scans and reconstruction analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The microstructure of vascular network could be observed by immunohistochemistry, but the spatial distribution of vessels could not be evaluated. The spatial distribution of vessels could be showed by angiography and CT scans. However, some of micro vessels were showed unclearly by CT scans. The number of blood vessels detected by immunohistochemistry was (26.50±3.02) vessels, significantly higher than those detected by angiography and CT scans that were (14.12±1.47) and (9.00±1.79) vessels, respectively. Combination of immunohistochemistry and angiography can evaluate the microvascular network at microscopic and macroscopic levels, which can provide the whole information of the vascular network.