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To explore the feasibility of constructing a functional biomaterial complex with regenerated silk fibroin membrane and immortalized chondrocytes in vivo. Rat auricular chondrocytes (RACs) were transfected with the lentivirus vector pGC-FU-hTERT-3FLAG or pGC-FU-GFP-3FLAG, encoding the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) or GFP gene. The effects of regenerated silk fibroin film on the adhesion, growth of immortalized chondrocytes and expression of collagen II in vitro were analyzed with immunofluorescent histochemistry. Immortalized RACs were transformed. Induction by nutrient medium promoted higher expression levels of collagen II in transformed chondrocytes. The regenerated silk fibroin film was not cytotoxic to immortalized chondrocytes and had no adverse influence on their adhesion. Collagen II expression was good in the immortalized chondrocytes in vivo. The construction of a silk-based biomaterial complex with immortalized chondrocytes may provide a feasible kind of functional biomaterial for the repair of cartilage defects in clinical applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 1071-1078, 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the feasibility of silk fibroin as a biomaterial coating used in tracheal defect reconstruction. Methods: Silk fibroin was subcutaneously embedded in three rabbits and as an artificial implant material coating to reconstruct 12 rabbits'' tracheal defects. The postoperative radiologic and histologic characterization was summarized. Results: The thickness of the fibroblasts layer covering the porus and nonporus silk fibroin film was 240.4 ± 9.9 and 302.3 ± 10.5 μm, respectively, and there was no statistical difference (P > 0.05) within each group. There was no foreign-body granuloma or macrophagocyte infiltration around the silk film. The tracheal reconstruction study showed a normal mucous membrane with normal cilial growth on the artificial implant and no visible granulation tissue in the reconstructed tracheal cavity. Conclusions: Silk fibroin is a potential new biomaterial coating for tracheal defect reconstruction. The mechanism of silk fibroin appears to promote tracheal mucous membrane, which may be related to its molecular structure and biology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To investigate an effective method of quantitative analysis of the facial nerve and its adjacent structures on the basis of three-dimensional (3D) CT image reconstruction of the temporal bone. Methods: The inner structures of the temporal bone from CT images of 34 healthy adults were reconstructed. Precise measurement of the facial nerve and its adjacent structures were accomplished by using Able Software 3D-DOCTOR. Results: 3D images of temporal bone structures, including facial nerve, tympanic annulus, cochleariform process, cochlea, semicircular canals, jugular fossa, and carotid artery, were reconstructed. Quantitative data of the facial nerve and its adjacent structures were analyzed, especially the detailed spatial relationships between the facial nerve and the surface of the mastoid process or tympanomastoid fissure. Conclusion: 3D reconstruction of CT images clearly displayed the detailed structures of the temporal bone. Quantitative data of the facial nerve and its adjacent structures are very useful for temporal bone surgery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]