Abstract
This project investigated the efficacy of modified fibrin scaffold as a vehicle for acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-1). The goal of this study was to justify the use of a modified fibrin scaffold with altered surface roughness and porosity as a drug-delivery matrix, specifically for the delivery of FGF-1. The hypothesis tested was that FGF-1 delivered in an optimal dose through a modified fibrin scaffold would result in a significant increase in angiogenesis, epithelialization, fibroblast, and healing rate, and correspond to a decrease in overall healing time. In vivo testing was conducted in a full-thickness defect model in a rabbit. Four 3 x 3-cm full-thickness defects were created on the dorsum of each of five white New Zealand rabbits. There were four treatments to be investigated: modified fibrin scaffold, modified fibrin/FGF-1 scaffolds, topical FGF-1, and control defects. The regimen of topical dosing of FGF-1 was determined from release kinetic studies using the modified fibrin scaffold. The areas and perimeters of the initial wound and final wounds were obtained from histological slides using an image analysis system. Standard histomorphometric techniques were used to characterize the wound-healing response. In this study, the modified fibrin/FGF-1 scaffold served as a suitable vehicle for FGF-1, providing an enhanced angiogenic and a fibroblastic healing response and, thus, was found to be an effective scaffold.