FIG. 4.

Bone-specific markers in newly formed tissue within cranial defects. (A) Immunohistochemical staining of osteocalcin for sham (S), non-mineralized (NM), and mineralized (M) groups and (B) mean histogram intensity of images following 8 weeks of implantation. Lower intensity values correspond to higher expression. (C) Histochemical staining for TRAP and (D) percent positive area of the cranial defect site for sham (S), non-mineralized (NM), and mineralized (M) treatment groups following 8 weeks of implantation. Arrow indicates TRAP-positive cells found within the constructs. (E) Histochemical staining for RANK and (F) percent positive area of the cranial defect site for sham (S), non-mineralized (NM), and mineralized (M) treatment groups following 8 weeks of implantation. Scale bars: 30 μm. Asterisks denote p values with statistical significance (*p < 0.05, ***p < 0.001). RANK, receptor activator of nuclear factor κB; TRAP, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase; u.d, undetectable. Color images available online at www.liebertpub.com/tea