Fig. 9.

Changes over time of the cellular and molecular alterations in sham wounds.

(A), To verify whether Mg degradation influences healing in Sham Mg, the cellular and molecular parameters in the exudate were compared between Sham Ti and Sham Mg after 1–6 d. (B), Relative gene expression in sham wounds (n = 8/group/time-point). (C), Mg²⁺ concentrations in exudate from sham wounds (n = 7–8/group/time-point). (D), Clinical photographs display the implantation of a Mg implant and sham wounding (top panel). At postsurgery day 6, wounds in the same rat were re-entered for retrieval of the implant (middle panel), the exudate and the tissues (lower panel). The fascia in Sham Mg wounds featured voids comparable to those in tissues around Mg implant. (E–F), Histological sections of wounds in D exhibiting voids in tissue walls in Sham Mg similar to gas voids around Mg implant in the same rat. Bottom panels in E and F (hematoxylin and eosin staining with autofluorescence micrograph, red: cells, green: extracellular matrix and vessels) show magnified areas of the voids (asterisks in upper panels ofEandF) separated by thin walls of extracellular matrix and with a higher cellularity at their boundaries, similar to Mg-implanted tissues (F,bottom left). Dashed areas indicate surgically created pockets with or without implants.

Data are means ± s.e.m.; *P < 0.05 Sham Mg versus Sham Ti; a: P < 0.05 versus day 1; b: P < 0.05 versus day 3. Unpaired Mann-Whitney U test. Scale D = 2 mm; E, F = 100 μm.