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In Vitro Ceramic Scaffold Mineralization: Comparison Between Histological and Micro-Computed Tomographical Analysis

Thimm, Benjamin ; Wechsler, Oliver ; Bohner, Marc ; Müller, Ralph ; Hofmann, Sandra

In: Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 2013, vol. 41, no. 12, p. 2666-2675

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    Title
    • In Vitro Ceramic Scaffold Mineralization: Comparison Between Histological and Micro-Computed Tomographical Analysis
    Author
    • Thimm, Benjamin. Institute for Biomechanics, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Wechsler, Oliver. Institute for Biomechanics, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Bohner, Marc. RMS Foundation, Bischmattstrasse 12, 2544, Bettlach, Switzerland
    • Müller, Ralph. Institute for Biomechanics, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Hofmann, Sandra. Institute for Biomechanics, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    Language
    • English
    Published in
    • Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 2013, vol. 41, no. 12, p. 2666-2675. Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com
    Other Version
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:314177
    Summary
    The porous structure of beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffolds was assessed by conventional histomorphometry and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) to evaluate the substitutability of time-consuming histomorphometry by rapid micro-CT. Extracellular matrix mineralization on human mesenchymal stem cell seeded β-TCP scaffolds was scanned by means of micro-CT after 6weeks in cultivation and evaluated morphometrically. For the histomorphometric analysis, undecalcified sections were prepared in the mediosagittal plane of the cylindrical tissue-engineered constructs. The sections were scanned at a nominal resolution of 8μm and stained with von Kossa and Toluidine Blue. Pores were analyzed with both methods for morphometrical parameters such as horizontal/vertical diameter and pore/mineralized tissue area. Results showed highly significant correlations between histomorphometry and micro-CT for pore horizontal length (r=0.95), pore vertical length (r=0.96), pore area (r=0.97), and mineralized tissue area (r=0.82). Mean percentage differences between histomorphometry and micro-CT measurements ranged from 1.4% (pore vertical diameter) to 14.0% (area of mineralized tissue). With its high image precision, micro-CT qualifies as an additional tool for endpoint evaluation measurements of mineralized tissue development within tissue-engineered constructs also in ceramic scaffolds