AIMTo study the healing mechanism of duraplasty a model of rabbit dural healing was constructed in vitro and the influences of collagen, laminin, polylysine on the migration and proliferation of dural cells were compared.

METHODSRabbit dura pieces 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm in size were created and were perforated in their central part with a 2 mm punch to mimic a dural defect. The dural pieces were cultured in 24-well plates which had been coated with collagen, laminin and polylysine respectively and the influence of different extracellular matrix on the migration and proliferation of dural cells was observed. Cells were subcultured on slides for immunocytochemistry to identify the characteristics of dural cells. The dural healing was observed by scanning electronic microscope.

RESULTSOnly the dura pieces cultured on collagen coated wells showed migration of cells into the central defect after a period of 8-10 days and dural defect healing occurred after 13-15 days. Dural cells stained strongly positive with antibodies against vimentin and negative with VIII factor. New collagen fibers were observed in the dural defects.

CONCLUSIONA kind of cell model for dural healing was constructed successfully in vitro. Cell migration from the dural defect margin is an important mechanism in the process of wound healing after duraplasty.