Mouse calvarial defect model: an approach for the micro-tomographic evaluation of polymer scaffolds

The ability of bone repair scaffolds to form bone is traditionally evaluated using cell culture and animal experiments. Mouse calvarial organ culture maintains the natural cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix relationships as well as the anatomical order, and this model has been used to study the biological behavior of intramembranous bones. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of mouse calvarial organ culture to be used as an in vitro model to study the bone regenerative ability of bone repair polymer scaffolds. Critical size defects (CSD) were created in the parietal bones. Electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffolds were placed into one group of defects. The remaining defects served as a control. The bones were cultured for 38 days and analyzed with μCT, phase-contrast microscopy, dissecting microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray analyses. This organ culture technique is easily available and could permit researchers to quickly establish a valuable database of candidate bone repair scaffolds.