Figure 5
From: Combining electrical stimulation and tissue engineering to treat large bone defects in a rat model
Vascularization in the defect area 8 weeks post-surgery. (A) Histological sections of electrically stimulated tissue stained with anti-alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) antibodies (scale bar 1 mm). Higher magnification images of vessels in the fibrous tissue (a1) and in bone tissue (a2) (20×, scale bar 100 μm) (B) Vessel density (b1) was calculated for the entire defect area, (#p < 0.1). Vessel density calculated in the fibrous tissue and non-fibrous tissues in controls (b2), sham (b3) and experimental (b4) groups. Data are presented as mean ± SD (n = 5). Vessel density in fibrous tissue was significantly (**p < 0.01) higher than non-fibrous tissue in all groups. Vessel density in fibrous tissue was lower in the experimental than in the sham group (*p < 0.1).
