Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 9, 2026
Effects of Allogeneic Platelet-Rich Plasma PRP on the Healing Process of Sectioned Achilles Tendons of Rats: A Methodological Description
Published on: March 19, 2018
The effect of platelet-rich plasma on Achilles tendon healing in a rabbit model
Masaki Takamura1, Toshito Yasuda1, Atsushi Nakano1
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan.
Objective:
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of PRP on Achilles tendon healing in rabbits during the inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling phases by histological examination and quantitative assessments.
Methods:
Fifty mature male Japanese albino rabbits with severed Achilles tendons were divided into two equal groups and treated with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or left untreated. Tendon tissue was harvested at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 weeks after treatment, and sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and monoclonal antibodies against CD31 and type I collagen.
Results:
Collagen fibers proliferated more densely early after severance, and subsequent remodeling of the collagen fibers and approximation of normal tendinous tissue occurred earlier in the PRP group than in the control group. The fibroblast number was significantly higher in the PRP group than in the control group at 1 and 2 weeks. Similarly, the area ratio of CD31-positive cells was significantly higher in the PRP group than in the control group at 1 and 2 weeks. Positive staining for type I collagen was more intense in the PRP group than in the control group after 3 weeks, indicating tendon maturation.
Conclusion:
Administration of PRP shortened the inflammatory phase and promoted tendon healing during the proliferative phase.
