FIG. 1.

Tissue-engineered scaffolds for long bone reconstruction. (A) Low-power scanning electron microscopy of the cross section of a 100:0 PLA/β-TCP (PLA) scaffold (scale bar represents 1 mm). High-power scanning electron microscopy images of the PLA (B) and 85:15 PLA/β-TCP (C) scaffolds with the arrow head pointing to β-TCP particles (scale bar represents 200 μm). Titanium pins were passed through the lumen of the scaffolds (D) to be used for fixation of the scaffolds when implanted as stand-alone femoral graft substitutes in massive 4 mm femoral defects in our previously established mouse model. The grafted animals were either treated by daily (5 days/week) injections of PTH or left untreated (controls). (E) Radiographic image of a PLA scaffold-grafted femur on day 0. Arrowhead points to the radio-translucent scaffold filling the femoral defect. β-TCP, beta-tricalcium phosphate; PLA, poly-lactic acid; PTH, parathyroid hormone.