Fig. 4
hMSC + PTH combined therapy induces superior bone formation that leads to bridging of rib fractures: micro-computed tomography analysis. In vivo μCT scans were obtained biweekly. Each rib sample was aligned to a standard position, and a cylindrical volume of interest (VOI) was defined following separation of the bone from soft tissue (a). For each experimental group, the top-row images present 2D reconstructions, sectioned in the rib midline. The middle-row images present 3D reconstructions, cut in the corresponding plane (cut-plane marked with orange). Lower-row images present the complete 3D reconstruction of the analyzed VOI. The bone volume was quantified (b) (Two-way ANOVA, n = 8–10). Percentages of healed ribs by the 8th week were measured manually and calculated for each group (c). χ2(3,72) = 16.44, n = 8–10). MSCs mesenchymal stem cells, PTH parathyroid hormone