Figure 5 | Scientific Reports

Figure 5

From: In Vitro Maturation and In Vivo Integration and Function of an Engineered Cell-Seeded Disc-like Angle Ply Structure (DAPS) for Total Disc Arthroplasty

Figure 5

Subcutaneous Implantation of DAPS. (A) Study design: To compare implantation sites, DAPS were pre-matured for 5 weeks, implanted into the dorsal subcutaneous space of athymic rats, and, after 5 weeks, histological and GAG content analyses were performed. (B) Histological analysis: There were no gross structural or compositional changes to the NP region. Alcian blue staining remained strongest in the NP region and picrosirius red staining remained strongest in the AF region. Types I and II collagens were abundant in the NP region, and in the interlamellar spaces of the AF. (C) GAG quantification: Measurements of AF and NP region GAG showed a significant decrease after 5 weeks of implantation into the tail space, while there were no significant decreases with SQ implantation over this same time (*p < 0.05 vs. week 0, **p < 0.001).

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