Figure 3

Orthotopic (bone) bioassay in rats – From left to right: Microcomputed Tomography (μCT) images, sagittal histological sections, higher magnifications of histological sections (100× and 400× original magnifications). Eight weeks after implantation in the 8 mm rat critical size defects, only CS-Platelet and rhBMP2 showed a regeneration of bone extended at the center of the defects. In all other groups a limited regeneration of bone was seen only at the periphery of the defects. Goldner's trichrome staining: nuclear chromatin (brown-black), cytoplasm (bright red), erythrocytes (orange), collagen (light green), mineralized bone (green), osteoid (red).