The current study was conducted in order to investigate bone formation using matrigel and angiogenic factors with HA and poly ε-caprolactone (HA/PCL) in a rat calvarial defect model. Calvarial defect formation was surgically created in Sprague Dawley rats (n=36). Rats in the control group (CD group, n=6) did not receive a graft. The HA/ PCL scaffold was grafted with matrigel (M-HA/PCL group, n=6) or without matrigel (HA/PCL group, n=6); and 100 ng of vascular endothelial growth factor with HA/ PCL scaffold containing matrigel (VEGF100 group, n=6), 100 ng (PDGF100 group, n=6) and 300 ng (PDGF300 group, n=6) of PDGF with HA/PCL scaffold containing matrigel were grafted in calvarial defects, respectively. Four weeks after surgery, bone formation was evaluated with micro computed tomography (micro CT) scanning, and histologically. According to the results, bone mineral density was significantly increased in the VEGF100, PDGF100, and PDGF300 groups compared to the HA/PCL group, in which angiogenic factors were not applied. In histological evaluation, more new bone formation around scaffolds was observed in the PDGF100 and the PDGF300 groups, compared with the VEGF100 group. Thus, the results indicate that HA/PCL containing matrigel with VEGF and PDGF is an effective grafting material for enhancement of bone formation in critical-sized bone defects. Especially, due to its price and capacity for bone formation, PDGF may be more effective than VEGF.

This study was conducted to compare the expression pattern of the specific factors associated with pregnancy and angiogenesis during early pregnancy in Hanwoo. Synchronized female Hanwoo (4～6 year‐old) were inseminated artificially. After 10 weeks after artificial insemination (AI), the pregnancy was tested by rectal palpation method. Three pregnant and non‐pregnant Hanwoo were used in this experiment, respectively. The plasma progesterone level was measured by ELISA. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the expression of pregnancy associated glycoprotein (PAG) or angiogenic factors (VEGF, B‐FGF, ANP‐1, and TIE‐2). The plasma P4 level was increase gradually in pregnant group and maintained high level. The concentration of PAG was significantly higher from 5th weeks in pregnant group compared to that of non‐pregnant group (p<0.05). The concentrations of the VEGF (p<0.05), B‐FGF (p<0.05), and ANP‐1 (p<0.05) were significantly increased from 6th or 7th week after AI in pregnant group, respectively. And the intensity of TIE‐2, ANP‐1 receptor, was well matched with ANP‐1 (p<0.05). Taken together, it can be postulated that the blood vessels connected with fetus and dam were formed dramatically around 40 days after AI, because the expression levels of the angiogenic factors were increased significantly from this time in pregnant Hanwoo.