The purpose of the present study was to compare alpha- and beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) as bone graft material for augmenting highly resorbed alveolar ridges. The cranial bones of 15 rabbits were used. Three titanium chambers filled with porous blocks of alpha-TCP, beta-TCP, or blood clots were placed in each slit. The two TCP blocks had similar inner/outer structures and purities. Animals were sacrificed after 2, 4, and 8 weeks. Specimens were embedded in polyester resin as nondecalcified specimens, and evaluated both histologically and histomorphometrically. In both TCP groups, blocks had hardly degraded at 2 weeks while in the alpha-TCP group, the block had notably started degrading after 4 weeks. In the beta-TCP group, degradation began at 4 weeks and this degradation had increased just slightly after 8 weeks. The alpha-TCP block degraded significantly more than the beta-TCP block. Residual alpha-TCP particles surrounded by newly formed bone decreased over time, and both particles and newly formed bone were simultaneously absorbed by osteoclast-like cells. These observations suggest that residual alpha-TCP particles surrounded by newly formed bone may disappear progressively from bone and could be incorporated into the bone remodeling cycle in combination with newly formed bone.

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The purpose of the present study was to observe the biodegradation process of pure alpha-tricalcium phosphate (alpha-TCP) particles and to determine the efficacy of alpha-TCP as a space maintainer in a bone defect. We used 14 rabbits and prepared two cranial bone defects in each rabbit. One defect was left empty as a control, whereas the other was filled with alpha-TCP particles about 300 mum in diameter. Animals were sacrificed at 1 week, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. The cranial bone was then embedded either in paraffin wax for the preparation of decalcified specimens, or in polyester resin for the preparation of nondecalcified specimens. All specimens were evaluated histologically and histomorphometrically. As a consequence of the degradation of alpha-TCP, a "reticulate structure" appeared in the particles at 1 week and new bone was observed in this structure at 8 weeks. The amount of new bone between the control and experimental groups was not significantly different at any of the time points. However, in the experimental group, new bone at the surface of alpha-TCP was evident even in the center of the defect whereas fibrous connective tissue was dominant in the control group. These results indicate that alpha-TCP is a degradable osteoconductive material that is able to act as a space maintainer for bone regeneration when applied to a bone defect. While there was no significant difference in total bone formation between the experimental and negative control groups, the space-maintaining and osteoconductive properties of the particles may result in more complete bone formation in longer-term studies.

The effects of 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl glycerol (OPO) on lymph chylomicron transport, composition and size in rats were investigated in comparison with 1,2-dioleoyl-3-palmitoyl glycerol (OOP). The OPO and OOP were prepared by enzymatic transesterification reactions. The concentrations of OPO and OOP in the preparations were 65.7 g/100 g, and the composition of fatty acids was similar for each. The OPO preparation contained triacylglycerols with 76.6% of the palmitic acid in the sn-2 position, whereas 100% of the oleic acid was esterified to the sn-2 position in the OOP preparation. Rats were infused with lipid emulsion containing 150 g/L of OPO or OOP via a stomach catheter. Lymph was collected through the mesenteric lymphatic trunk at 1-h intervals for 12 h. Collected lymph chylomicrons were analyzed for triacylglycerol, fatty acids, apolipoprotein A-I and particle size. The maximum transport rates of triacylglycerols in the OPO group were higher than those in the OOP group. The overall absorption of triacylglycerols, palmitic acid and oleic acid in the OPO group was also higher than that in the OOP group. In the chylomicrons, 60-70% of the fatty acids at the sn-2 position of the infused triacylglycerol was transported at the original position. The transport rates of dioleoyl-palmitoyl glycerol in the OPO group were higher than those in the OOP group. The transport rates of apolipoprotein A-I did not differ between groups, whereas the mean diameter of the chylomicrons in the OPO group was larger than that in the OOP group. These results indicate that OPO is absorbed and transported more effectively than OOP.

Cholesterol-bearing pullulan (CHP) nanogel is a synthetic degradable biomaterial for drug delivery with high biocompatibility. Guided bone regeneration (GBR) is a bone augmentation technique in which a membrane is used to create and keep a secluded regenerative space. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the novel CHP nanogel membrane in GBR. Thirty-six adult Wistar rats were used and bilaterally symmetrical full-thickness parietal bone defects of 5 mm diameter were created with a bone trephine burr. Each defect was covered with the collagen membrane or the CHP nanogel membrane or untreated without any membrane. The animals were sacrificed at 2, 4 and 8 weeks and analysed radiologically and histologically. Furthermore, after incubating human serum with CHP nanogel or collagen, the amount of PDGF in the serum was measured using ELISA. New bone formation in terms of bone volume was higher in the nanogel group than in the control or collagen groups at 2 and 4 weeks. At 8 weeks, both membrane groups showed higher bone volumes than the control group. Notably, the newly-formed bone in the bone defect in the nanogel group was uniform and histologically indistinguishable from the original bone, whereas in the collagen group the new bone showed an irregular structure that was completely different from the original bone. After incubating with CHP nanogel, the amount of PDGF in the serum decreased significantly. CHP nanogel GBR membrane favourably stimulated bone regeneration, in which a unique characteristic of CHP nanogel, the storage of endogenous growth factors, was likely implicated.