Abstract
Introduction
Formation of new blood vessels is essential for the process of fracture healing.
Materials and methods
We investigated the expression of the angiogenic factor pleiotrophin/HB-GAM in a closed fracture model in rats by immunohistochemical methods.
Results
Histologically, 5 days after fracture the callus was predominantly composed of fibrous tissue. On day 10 a prominent chondral callus connected both ends of the fractured tibia. There was a continuous transition from the chondral callus to the newly formed bone adjacent to the corticalis of the tibia. On day 15 the amount of woven bone had increased, and in 3 of 5 animals the proximal and distal tibiae were connected by a bridge of woven bone. Pleiotrophin could be immunostained in fibroblasts and endothelial cells of the fibrous tissue between the fractured tibia ends. The chondral callus remained largely pleiotrophin-negative. Only single chondrocytes adjacent to the newly formed bone were pleiotrophin-positive. On days 10 and 15 strong immunoreactivity for pleiotrophin in the well vascularized, newly formed, woven bone was detectable. Osteoblasts, endothelial cells and fibroblasts were strongly pleiotrophin-positive.
Conclusions
These results show the presence of the angiogenic peptide pleiotrophin during fracture healing.
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Acknowledgements
We wish to thank Frank Lichte, Karin Stengel and Regine Worm for their expert technical assistance. This work was supported by a grant from the ‘Forschungsschwerpunkt Muskel- und Skelettsystem’ of the Medical Faculty of the University of Kiel and by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, Schm 1436/1–1).
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Petersen, W., Wildemann, B., Pufe, T. et al. The angiogenic peptide pleiotrophin (PTN/HB-GAM) is expressed in fracture healing: an immunohistochemical study in rats. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 124, 603–607 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-003-0582-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-003-0582-0