Figure 5. . Microscopic analysis of scaffolds removed 1 month after grafting.

Microphotograph in (A) is a representative photograph of Integra^® cell free system stained with hematoxylin and eosin: note the presence of collagen fibers and absence of vascularization. (B) is a representative photograph of Integra-adipose-derived stem cells system stained with hematoxylin and eosin: numerous cell nuclei (probably of fibroblasts) and capillaries (full of erythrocytes) were present. (C & D) show the immunohistochemistry analysis of Integra cell loaded system using the antibodies MAB 1287, against the human small nuclear ribonucleoprotein, and MAB 1273, an antihuman mitochondrial antigen stained with DAB and counterstained with hematoxylin. No signal for the presence of human cells was detected. In (C), note the presence of newly formed collagen fibers and several adipocytes (bold arrows). In (D), in addition to collagen fibers, note the presence of several fibroblast nuclei (thin arrows) and new vessels, which contain erythrocytes (arrowheads). (E) shows a scanning electron microscopy picture where newly formed collagen fibrils are evident. In (F), a cell, covered by some new formed collagen fibrils, appears to have colonized the scaffold.