J Korean Assoc Maxillofac Plast Reconstr Surg.  2011 Nov;33(6):459-466.

The Effect of Silk Fibroin/Nano-hydroxyapatite/Corn Starch Composite Porous Scaffold on Bone Regeneration in the Rabbit Calvarial Defect Model

• Park YT
• Kwon KJ
• Park YW
• Kim SG
• Kim CW
• Jo YY
• Kweon HY
• Kang SW

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study evaluated the capability of bone formation with silk fibroin/nano-hydroxyapatite/corn starch composite scaffold as a bone defect replacement matrix when grafted in a calvarial bone defect of rabbits in vivo.
METHODS
Ten New Zealand white rabbits were used for this study and bilateral round-shaped defects were formed in the parietal bone (diameter: 8.0 mm). The silk fibroin 10% nano-hydroxyapatite/30% corn starch/60% composite scaffold was grafted into the right parietal bone (experimental group). The left side (control group) was grafted with a nano-hydroxyapatite (30%)/corn starch (70%) scaffold. The animals were sacrificed at 4 weeks and 8 weeks. A micro-computerized tomography (microCT) of each specimen was taken. Subsequently, the specimens were decalcified and stained with Masson's trichrome for histological and histomorphometric analysis.
RESULTS
The average microCT and histomorphometric measures of bone formation were higher in the control group than in the experimental group at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after surgery though not statistically significant (P>0.05).
CONCLUSION
The rabbit calvarial defect was not successfully repaired by silk fibroin/nano-hydroxyapatite/corn starch composite scaffold and may have been due to an inflammatory reaction caused by silk powder. In the future, the development of composite bone graft material based on various components should be performed with caution.

Keyword

Silk fibroin/nano-hydroxyapatite/corn starch composite scaffold; Micro-computed tomography; Bone regeneration

MeSH Terms

Animals
Bone Regeneration
Fibroins
Osteogenesis
Parietal Bone
Rabbits
Silk
Starch
Transplants
X-Ray Microtomography
Zea mays
Fibroins
Silk
Starch