PURPOSE To investigate the effects of locally applied simvastatin plus biphasic calcium phosphate (BoneCeramic(r)) or collagen sponge on bone formation in critical-sized bone defects. METHODS Thirty defects of 5mm in diameter were created bilaterally with a trephine bur in the calvariae of fifteen Wistar rats. The defects were divided into five groups: group 1 - control, no treatment; group 2...

OBJECTIVE Present study aimed at further comprehensive functional, histomorphometrical and immunohistochemical assessment of peripheral nerve regeneration using rat sciatic nerve transection model. METHODS The 10-mm rat sciatic nerve gap was created in rats. In control group nerve stumps were sutured to adjacent muscle and in treatment group the gap was bridged using an inside-out vein graft....

Knowledge of the developmental changes of cardiovascular parameters in the genetic background of a mouse strain is important for understanding phenotypic changes in transgenic or knockout mouse models for heart disease. We studied arterial blood pressure and myocardial contractility in mice of the common background strain C57BL/6, aged 21 days [postnatal day 21 (P21)] to 580 days. Heart rate in...

BACKGROUND The overexpression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α leads to systemic as well as local loss of bone and cartilage and is also an important regulator during fracture healing. In this study, we investigate how TNF-α inhibition using a targeted monoclonal antibody affects fracture healing in a TNF-α driven animal model of human rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and elucidate the question whethe...

BACKGROUND Melatonin, the major pineal hormone, is known to regulate distinct physiologic processes. Previous studies have suggested that it supports skeletal growth and bone formation, most probably by inhibiting bone resorption. There is no information, however, whether melatonin affects fracture healing. We therefore studied in a mouse femur fracture model the influence of melatonin on callu...

The aim of this study was to investigate the histological and histomorphometrical bone response to three Biosilicates with different crystal phases comparing them to Bioglass 45S5 implants used as control. Ceramic glass Biosilicate and Bioglass 45S5 implants were bilaterally inserted in rabbit femurs and harvested after 8 and 12 weeks. Histological examination did not revealed persistent inflam...

Steroid and xenobiotic receptor (SXR) and its murine ortholog, pregnane X receptor (PXR), are nuclear receptors that are expressed at high levels in the liver and the intestine where they function as xenobiotic sensors that induce expression of genes involved in detoxification and drug excretion. Recent evidence showed that SXR and PXR are also expressed in bone tissue where they mediate bone m...

Assessment of morphological changes has more often been used in the diagnosis and assessment of intestinal pathology and development. Since methionine is widely used in nutritional and sports supplements and also there is not enough information about the effect of this amino acid on the gastrointestinal histomorphometry, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of methionine on the small ...

Calcium phosphate (Ca-P) cement is a well established material for bone repair. The bone biological properties of Ca-P cement can even be further improved by creating porosity in the material. The current study aimed on the evaluation of the osteoconductive behavior of porous Ca-P cement. Therefore, circular defects (6, 9, and 15 mm in diameter) were created in the cranium of 3 months old rabbi...