Fig. 3.

Results of the in vivo neovascularization experiment. A. Flow chart of the in vivo animal experiment. B. Micro-CT scan and 3D reconstructions of blood vessels. C. The depth of the vessels extended into the encapsulated region. D. Volume proportion of the newly formed blood vessels in the encapsulated region 4, 8, and 12 weeks after implantation. E. Area division for the quantitative analysis of vascularization. Area Ⅰ: encapsulated β-TCP rod; area Ⅱ: unencapsulated β-TCP rod; area Ⅲ: the area around the encapsulated region; area Ⅳ: the area around the unencapsulated region; and area Ⅴ: normal cancellous bone. F. Number of blood vessels in areas Ⅰ to Ⅴ. The number of blood vessels in the encapsulated area was significantly lower than that of the non-encapsulated area at 4 weeks and 8 weeks; G. Fluorescence angiography of the encapsulated area. The white triangles indicate the positions of the titanium membrane. H. Number of blood vessels in the encapsulated area at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after implantation. I. Diameter of blood vessels in the encapsulated region at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after implantation. J. Vessel area proportion in the encapsulated region 4, 8, and 12 weeks after implantation. K. Angiography under fluorescent background in the unencapsulated area shows abundant vascularization at 4 weeks; L. Electron microscopy shows that newly formed blood vessels travel through the interconnected holes. M. The angiogenic process of encapsulated and unencapsulated areas in porous β-TCP scaffold. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.