Fig. 2.

Effect of N-DSP on bone formation in calvarial bone culture system. (A, C) Calvarial bones were treated with GST, GST-N-DSP, N-DSP peptide, or untreated (n=5 in each group) and paraffin-embedded sections were prepared. The representative H&E staining images of calvarial bone section incubated with GST (A-a), GST-N-DSP (A-b), untreated control (C-a), or N-DSP peptide (C-b) were shown. Serial sections were also stained with Masson's Trichrome and the representative images were shown (A-c; GST, A-d; GST-N-DSP, C-a; untreated control, C-b; N-DSP peptide treatment group). Greater numbers of eosinophilic layers were identified (indicated by arrowheads) when incubated with GST-N-DSP or N-DSP peptide, but not with GST or untreated control. These layers were Trichrome-positive, indicative of collagen. Scale bar; 0.2 mm. (B, D) The formed bone area in GST-N-DSP or N-DSP group was significantly increased as compared to GST or untreated control group by histomorphometric analysis. The mean value of formed bone areas was calculated, expressed as the mean±SD (mm²) and statistically analyzed (n=5). *; p<0.05.