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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Jun 3.
Published in final edited form as: Acta Biomater. 2017 Jun 20;59:21–32. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2017.06.028

Figure 3.

Figure 3.

Ectopic mineralization and retention of heparin microparticles in subcutaneously implanted alginate constructs. 1 mg of AF647-labeled HMPs (unloaded or loaded with 5 μg of BMP-2) were mixed into alginate constructs, which were implanted subcutaneously in the backs of rats for 6 weeks (n = 6). A) Representative IVIS® image (Ex: 640, Em: 720) depicting explanted constructs with and without labeled HMPs after 6 weeks. B) Fluorescent signal of constructs, normalized to initial fluorescence, immediately prior to implantation (Week 0) and following explanting (Week 6). AF647 signal decreased over time in both unloaded and loaded HMP-containing constructs. (* = p < 0.05 as indicated) C) Micro-CT quantification of mineral volume induced in constructs. No differences were observed between groups. Safranin O/Fast Green staining of alginate constructs containing D) BMP-2-loaded HMPs, E) BMP-2 only, and F) unloaded HMPs depicted mineralization (white arrows) in BMP-2-containing constructs and the presence of intact HMPs (yellow arrows) in HMPs-containing constructs after 6 weeks in vivo.