Cell seeding accelerates the vascularization of tissue engineering constructs in hypertensive mice

Current Biomaterials for Wound Healing

Wound healing is the body's process of injury recovery. Skin healing is divided into four distinct overlapping phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Cell-to-cell interactions mediated by both cytokines and chemokines are imperative for the transition between these phases. Patients can face difficulties in the healing process due to the wound being too large, decreased vascularization, infection, or additional burdens of a systemic illness. The field of tissue engineering has been investigating biomaterials as an alternative for skin regeneration. Biomaterials used for wound healing may be natural, synthetic, or a combination of both. Once a specific biomaterial is selected, it acts as a scaffold for skin regeneration. When the scaffold is applied to a wound, it allows for the upregulation of distinct molecular signaling pathways important for skin repair. Although tissue engineering has made great progress, more research is needed in order to support the use of biomaterials for wound healing for clinical translation.

Alendronate reduces periosteal microperfusion in vivo

Objectives

Bisphosphonates are known to induce a severe adverse effect known as medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Previous studies have proven the impact of bisphosphonates on microperfusion; therefore, this study aimed to investigate alendronate-induced microcirculatory reactions in the calvarial periosteum of rats.

Study design

Bone chambers were implanted into 48 Lewis rats. Microhemodynamics, inflammatory parameters, functional capillary density and defect healing were examined after alendronate treatment for two and six weeks using repetitive intravital fluorescence microscopy for two weeks.

Results

Microhemodynamics remained unchanged. In alendronate-treated rats, inflammation was slightly increased, functional capillary density was significantly reduced (day 10: controls 100.45 ± 5.38 cm/cm2, two weeks alendronate treatment 44.77 ± 3.55 cm/cm2, six weeks alendronate treatment 27.54 ± 2.23 cm/cm2) and defect healing was decelerated. The changes in functional capillary density and defect healing were dose-dependent.

Conclusion

The bisphosphonate alendronate has a significant negative impact on periosteal microperfusion in vivo. This could be a promising target for the treatment of MRONJ.