Figure 1.
Scanning electron microscopy images (100×) showing the aspect and the thickness of Bio-A (A), Tuto (B) and St (C). Polarized light images, with collagen fibers displayed in red after Sirius Red staining (200×). Bio-A (D), Tuto (E) and St (F).
Figure 2.
Macroscopic biomaterial images.
Bio-A implants after 14 days (A) and 30 days postimplantion (D). Tuto, 14 days (B) and 30 days (E). St, 14 days (C) and 30 days (F). Partial degradation of Tuto at 14 (G) and 30 days (H). St encapsulation (arrow) at 30 days post-implantation (I).
Figure 3.
Tissue integration and prostheses degradation in the different timepoints (100×). Bio-A (A–D) and Tuto (E–H) showed a gradual infiltration of host tissue and was completely degraded by 180 days post-implantation. St exhibited material encapsulation, without signs of degradation and low cell infiltration at 180 days (I–L). (– Prosthesis).
Figure 4.
Collagen 1 and 3 mRNA expression determined by RT-PCR.
Agarose gel product and relative mRNA quantity of Bio-A (A), Tuto (B) and St (C) after 14, 30, 90 and 180 days post-implantation. The results are expressed as the mean ± SEM of three experiments. Gene expression was normalized with the GAPDH gene. A) Bio-A: Collagen (Col) 1: *, vs. 90 days (P<0.05) and 180 days (P<0.01); #, vs. 90 days (P<0.05) and 180 days (P<0.01); τ, vs. Tuto (P<0.05) and St (P<0.01) at 30 days. Col 3: |, vs. 30 days and 90 days (P<0.05) and 180 days (P<0.001); †, vs. 90 days (P<0.05) and 180 days (P<0.001); ξ, vs. Tuto (P<0.05) and St (P<0.01) at 30 days. B) Tuto: Col 1: ‡, vs. 30 days (P<0.05). Col 3: §, vs. 14 and 90 days (P<0.05). C) St: Col 1: ƒ, vs. Bio-A and Tuto at 14 days (P<0.01). (N = negative control; Mw = molecular weight markers).
Figure 5.
Immunodetection of neoformed collagen I and III in Bio-A®.
Mature Collagen I (A–H) and immature Collagen III (I–P) immunofluorescence at 14, 30, 90 and 180 days post-implantation. The neoformed collagen appears in red and the cell nuclei (stained with DAPI) appear in blue. The DIC images that identify the biomaterial appear translucent (E–H and M–P). Confocal light microscopy (200×). (* Synthetic mesh).
Figure 6.
Immunodetection of neoformed collagen I and III in Tutomesh®.
Mature Collagen I (A–H) and immature Collagen III (I–P) immunofluorescence at 14, 30, 90 and 180 days post-implantation. The neoformed collagen appears in red and the cell nuclei (stained with DAPI) appear in blue. The DIC images that identify the biomaterial appear translucent (E–H and M–P). Confocal light microscopy (200×). (* Biomesh).
Figure 7.
Immunodetection of the neoformed collagen I and III in Strattice®.
Mature Collagen I (A–H) and immature Collagen III (I–P) immunofluorescence at 14, 30, 90 and 180 days post-implantation. The neoformed collagen appears in red and the cell nuclei (stained with DAPI) appear in blue. The DIC images that identify the biomaterial appear translucent (E–H and M–P). Confocal light microscopy (200×). (* Biomesh).
Figure 8.
Foreign-body reaction of the different meshes.
Immunohistochemical labeling of rabbit macrophages (red color, arrows) using the RAM-11 monoclonal antibody (200×) (top panel): Bio-A (A–D), Tuto (E-H) and St (I–L). Percentage of positive cells for the RAM-11 antibody in the different prostheses after 14, 30, 90 and 180 days post-implantation (bottom panel). The results were expressed as the mean ± SEM. A) Bio-A: *, vs. 14 days and 90 days (P<0.001) and 30 days (P<0.01); #, vs. St (P<0.001) at 14 days; τ, vs. Tuto and St (P<0.01) at 30 days; |, vs. Tuto and St (P<0.001) at 90 days; †, Tuto and St (P<0.001) at 180 days post-implantion. B) Tuto: ξ, vs. 30 days (P<0.05) and 90 days (P<0.001); ‡, vs. 14 days and 30 days (P<0.001) and 90 days (P<0.01). C) St: §, vs. 90 days (P<0.001); ƒ, vs. 14, 30 and 90 days (P<0.001); φ, vs. Tuto (P<0.01) at 14 days; ξ, vs. Tuto (P<0.05) at 90 days; υ, vs. Tuto (P<0.001) at 180 days post-implantation.
Figure 9.
Biomechanical strength of the different meshes.
The results (Newtons) were expressed as the mean ± SEM at 14, 30, 90 and 180 days post-implantation. Bio-A: *, vs. 14 days and 30 days (P<0.01). Tuto: #, vs. 90 days (P<0.01); τ, vs. 14 days and 90 days (P<0.05) and 30 days (P<0.01). St: |, vs. 14 days and 30 days (P<0.05).