Evaluation of tofu as a potential tissue engineering scaffold.

Tofu not only is a delicious vegetarian food, but also shows potential biomedical applications for its high protein content and typical porous scaffold structure. Herein, two kinds of porous soybean scaffolds were developed, the first based on the traditional tofu manufacturing processes, the second modified via covalent crosslinking. The morphology, physicochemical properties and biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo were systematically investigated.

Effect of chengzai pill on the L-type Ca2+ channel currents of osteoblasts pretreated with methylprednisolone.

Objective: To observe the effect of the serum containing Chengzai Pill on the L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels current (L-VSCCsC) of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells pretreated with methylprednisolone (mPSL).

Methods: A control group, a model group, a low dose group and a high dose group were set up. The whole cell patch clamp technique was used to record L-VSCCsC of 10 osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells in each group and their peak currents were determined.

Experimental study on cheng zai wan for treatment of necrosis of the femoral head.

Cheng Zai Wan ([symbol: see text]), a Chinese herbal preparation was administrated in the two-leg rat model of aseptic necrosis of the femoral head established by taking prednisone acetate for a long period and the osteoporosis model rat by castration in order to explore the effects of the prescription on necrosis of the femoral head. The results showed that after treatment, the pitting on the surface of the femoral head disappeared, the reticular structure with filling cells was restored; the fat droplets in bone cells or cartilage cells of the femoral head were significantly reduced; sparse capillaries were improved, density and width of the bone trabecula were increased somewhat; bone mineral density, bone weight, bone strength and rigidity were significantly increased; and the low level of estrin was improved. It is suggested that Cheng Zai Wan has definite therapeutic effects on aseptic necrosis of the femoral head.