Initial adhesion of glass-fiber-reinforced composite to the surface of porcine calvarial bone

The aim of this preliminary study was to compare the initial bond strength of the glass-fiber-reinforced composite veil to the surface of the porcine calvarial compact bone using different adhesives. Fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) made of E-glass fiber veil with the BisGMA-PMMA resin system was used in the study. For the shear bond strength test, porcine calvarial bone cubes were mounted into resin matrix. FRC-veil discs were bonded to compact bone with different types of adhesives: (A) BisGMA-HEMA based (3M-ESPE Scotchbond Multi-Purpose Adhesive), (B) 4-META/UDMA/BisGMA based (Unifil Bond Bonding Agent) and MDP based (Clearfil Se Bond adhesive), (C) UDMA/BisGMA/PMMA-based experimental adhesive, and (D) silane-based (APS, ICS, MPS) experimental adhesives. The surface of the bone was mechanically roughened and was either used as such, treated with dental primers (Unifil Bond Self-etching Primer, Clearfil Se Bond Primer), or treated with an experimental silane mixture (APS, ICS, MPS), or with a mixture of the experimental silane liquid and Clearfil Se Bond Primer. The 3M-ESPE Scotchbond Multi-Purpose Adhesive and UDMA/BisGMA/PMMA experimental adhesive gave poor results in the shear bond test (0.58 and 0.40 MPa, respectively). Unifil Bond Bonding Agent and Clearfil Se Bond adhesive with respective primers markedly improved the shear bond strength; with Unifil the result was 3.40 MPa, and with Clearfil it was 6.19 MPa. When the bone surface was primed with a mixture of Clearfil Se Bond Primer and Clearfil Porcelain Bond Activator, the Clearfil Se Bond adhesive-impregnated FRC veil gave the best adhesion to the bone surface in this test: 9.50 MPa. The addition of bioactive glass granules between the veil and the bone lowered the shear bond strength in the test system described above to 6.72 MPa. The test systems with the silane mixture were also promising. In the SEM study, it was found that the mechanical treatment reveals the pores of the bone surface. Chemical treatments of the bone surface improved the adhesion of the FRC veil to the bone. The results showed that the adhesion of the FRC to the surface of the bone can be significantly improved with mechanical roughening and with special chemical treatments of the bone surface.     

淫羊藿苷去蛋白无机牛骨复合材料与去蛋白无机牛骨材料修复下颌骨缺损

文题释义：去蛋白无机牛骨：是采用化学提纯法从牛骨中提取的碳酸磷灰石晶体,去除了蛋白及其他的有机成分,而保留了多孔天然骨的无机机构,与人体骨的结构相似,目前已被广泛应用于口腔临床骨再生手术。淫羊藿苷：是一种具有补肾壮阳、祛风除湿功效的中药,临床多用于免疫力低下、性功能障碍与抗衰老食疗等。淫羊藿苷是淫羊藿的有效药理成分,近年来的研究发现其具有防治骨质疏松,并且其可促进间充质干细胞、成骨细胞的成骨分化与成血管因子的表达。背景：去蛋白无机牛骨与人体骨的结构相似,目前已被广泛应用于口腔临床骨再生手术,但其缺乏成骨诱导能力。近年来的研究发现淫羊藿具有防治骨质疏松的作用。目的：观察淫羊藿苷去蛋白无机牛骨复合材料修复下颌骨缺损的效果。方法：将小鼠成骨细胞MC3T3-E1分别接种于淫羊藿苷去蛋白无机牛骨复合材料(观察组)与去蛋白无机牛骨材料(对照组)上,培养7 d后,活死染色观察材料表面细胞的存活,扫描电镜观察材料表面细胞的黏附;培养5,10 d后,检测细胞分泌碱性磷酸酶情况。在30只新西兰大白兔双侧下颌骨制作13 mm×6 mm×4 mm的全层骨缺损,右侧植入淫羊藿苷去蛋白无机牛骨复合材料(实验侧),左侧植入去蛋白无机牛骨材料(对照侧),术后4,8,12周获取双侧下颌骨组织,分别进行锥形束CT检测、组织学观察与改良Gomori染色观察。实验获得牡丹江医学院实验动物中心伦理委员会批准。结果与结论：①活死染色显示,两组材料表面的成骨细胞生长状态良好;②扫描电镜显示,成骨细胞可在两种材料表面黏附,在观察组材料表面的黏附数量更多、分布更加均匀;③观察组培养10 d的细胞碱性磷酸酶活性高于对照组(P < 0.05);④锥形束CT显示,实验侧骨缺损至术后12周时基本愈合,对照侧术后12周时仍可见骨缺损;⑤术后12周组织学观察显示,实验侧缺损区可见大量成熟骨组织,仅见少量残余材料,可见少量脂肪组织;对照侧虽然材料部分降解,可见较多的新生骨组织,骨成熟度低于实验侧;⑥术后12周改良Gomori染色显示,实验侧可见大量成熟度较高的新生骨组织,对照侧也可见较多成熟度较高的骨组织,但骨量与骨成熟度均不及实验侧;⑦结果表明相对于去蛋白无机牛骨材料,淫羊藿苷去蛋白无机牛骨复合材料可促进下颌骨缺损的修复。ORCID: 0000-0001-5823-7228(董文杰)中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：生物材料;骨生物材料; 口腔生物材料; 纳米材料; 缓释材料; 材料相容性;组织工程     

Nell-1-induced bone regeneration in calvarial defects

Many craniofacial birth defects contain skeletal components requiring bone grafting. We previously identified the novel secreted osteogenic molecule NELL-1, first noted to be overexpressed during premature bone formation in calvarial sutures of craniosynostosis patients. Nell-1 overexpression significantly increases differentiation and mineralization selectively in osteoblasts, while newborn Nell-1 transgenic mice significantly increase premature bone formation in calvarial sutures. In the current study, cultured calvarial explants isolated from Nell-1 transgenic newborn mice (with mild sagittal synostosis) demonstrated continuous bone growth and overlapping sagittal sutures. Further investigation into gene expression cascades revealed that fibroblast growth factor-2 and transforming growth factor-beta1 stimulated Nell-1 expression, whereas bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 had no direct effect. Additionally, Nell-1-induced osteogenesis in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts through reduction in the expression of early up-regulated osteogenic regulators (OSX and ALP) but induction of later markers (OPN and OCN). Grafting Nell-1 protein-coated PLGA scaffolds into rat calvarial defects revealed the osteogenic potential of Nell-1 to induce bone regeneration equivalent to BMP-2, whereas immunohistochemistry indicated that Nell-1 reduced osterix-producing cells and increased bone sialoprotein, osteocalcin, and BMP-7 expression. Insights into Nell-1-regulated osteogenesis coupled with its ability to stimulate bone regeneration revealed a potential therapeutic role and an alternative to the currently accepted techniques for bone regeneration.     

Biochemical and biomechanical evaluation of human pericardial membrane and demineralized bone matrix in rabbit calvarial defects

Regaining adequate bone strength, in bone loss, is one of the main purposes for new bone regeneration in bone tissue engineering. Biomechanical hardness test can be one approach to assay bone consistency in new bone formation. In addition, following up the serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) alterations may help us in order to evaluate bone formation activity. In the current research, two groups of five male white New Zealand rabbits were studied. Two defects, 8 mm in diameter each, were made in each rabbit calvarium, one defect was filled with either human pericardial collagen (HPM) or demineralized bone matrix (DBM), and the other one was left empty as control. Every 10 days post-surgery, the serum ALP level was assessed, for 60 days. After performing euthanasia on day 60, the specimens were sent for biomechanical hardness test. The results for the DBM containing group were better than the HPM containing group in both biomechanical and biochemical tests. However, they were not statistically significant (p?>?0.05). In the biomechanical test, all the experimental groups, in both DBM and HPM, had significantly more hardness than the control (p?<?0.05). DBM is a current and well-known graft used in bone regeneration. Since, there was no significant difference between HPM and DBM on one hand, and the superiority of the HPM experimental group in the biomechanical test to the control on the other hand, HPM might be considered as a suitable graft in bone repair leading to acceptable bone strength.     

Dura mater stimulates human adipose-derived stromal cells to undergo bone formation in mouse calvarial defects

Human adipose-derived stromal cells (hASCs) have a proven capacity to aid in osseous repair of calvarial defects. However, the bone defect microenvironment necessary for osseous healing is not fully understood. In this study, we postulated that the cell-cell interaction between engrafted ASCs and host dura mater (DM) cells is critical for the healing of calvarial defects. hASCs were engrafted into critical sized calvarial mouse defects. The DM-hASC interaction was manipulated surgically by DM removal or by insertion of a semipermeable or nonpermeable membrane between DM and hASCs. Radiographic, histologic, and gene expression analyses were performed. Next, the hASC-DM interaction is assessed by conditioned media (CM) and coculture assays. Finally, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling from DM was investigated in vivo using novel BMP-2 and anti-BMP-2/4 slow releasing scaffolds. With intact DM, osseous healing occurs both from host DM and engrafted hASCs. Interference with the DM-hASC interaction dramatically reduced calvarial healing with abrogated BMP-2-Smad-1/5 signaling. Using CM and coculture assays, mouse DM cells stimulated hASC osteogenesis via BMP signaling. Through in vivo manipulation of the BMP-2 pathway, we found that BMP-2 plays an important role in DM stimulation of hASC osteogenesis in the context of calvarial bone healing. BMP-2 supplementation to a defect with disrupted DM allowed for bone formation in a nonhealing defect. DM is an osteogenic cell type that both participates in and stimulates osseous healing in a hASC-engrafted calvarial defect. Furthermore, DM-derived BMP-2 paracrine stimulation appears to play a key role for hASC mediated repair.     

自制小牛脱蛋白松质骨与兔皮质骨来源成骨细胞的生物相容性

背景：异种脱蛋白骨与宿主骨骼具有相同的结构,抗原性较低,不会或很少引起宿主免疫反应。 目的：观察自制小牛脱蛋白松质骨与兔皮质骨来源成骨细胞的生物相容性。 方法：将自制小牛脱蛋白松质骨与新西兰大白兔成骨细胞复合培养,设单纯成骨细胞对照组,观察细胞生长、支架材料降解及细胞与支架材料附着情况。 结果与结论：小牛脱蛋白松质骨为多孔网状,孔隙互相通连,细胞在其上附着、生长、增殖。复合培养第3天,有较多的细胞黏附并铺展在支架上;第6天,细胞在支架上完全伸展,呈长梭形;第10天细胞分泌较多基质,重叠生长并连接成网状。实验组复合培养9,12 d时成骨细胞的增殖及分泌情况明显优于对照组(P < 0.05),碱性磷酸酶活性与骨钙素表达高于对照组(P < 0.05)。表明兔皮质骨成骨细胞增殖和成骨能力强,自制的小牛脱蛋白松质骨具有骨诱导性,二者复合具有良好的生物相容性。     

The effect of a fibrin-fibronectin/beta-tricalcium phosphate/recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 system on bone formation in rat calvarial defects

In spite of good prospects for bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) applications, an ideal carrier system for BMPs has not yet been identified. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the osteogenic effect of a fibrin-fibronectin sealing system (FFSS) combined with beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) as a carrier system for recombinant human bone morphogenetic proteins (rhBMP-2) in the rat calvarial defect model. Eight-millimeter critical-size calvarial defects were created in 100 male Sprague-Dawley rats. The animals were divided into five groups of 20 animals each. The defects were treated with rhBMP-2/FFSS, rhBMP-2/FFSS/beta-TCP, FFSS and FFSS/beta-TCP carrier control or were left untreated as a sham-surgery control. Defects were evaluated by histologic and histometric parameters following a 2- and 8-week healing interval (10 animals/group/healing intervals). The FFSS/beta-TCP carrier group was significantly greater in new bone area at 2 weeks (p<0.05) and new tissue area at 2 and 8 weeks (p<0.01) relative to the FFSS carrier group. New bone and new tissue area in the rhBMP-2/FFSS/beta-TCP group were significantly greater than in the rhBMP-2/FFSS group at 8 weeks (p<0.01). On histologic observation, FFSS remnants were observed at 2 weeks, but by 8 weeks, the FFSS appeared to be completely resorbed. rhBMP-2 combined with FFSS/beta-TCP produced significantly more new bone and new tissue formation in this calvarial defect model. In conclusion, FFSS/beta-TCP may be considered as an available carrier for rhBMP-2.     

异种去蛋白松质骨复合骨髓间充质干细胞修复骨缺损的组织学变化

背景：目前应用各种人造支架复合细胞修复骨缺损研究很多,但是各种人造支架都没有骨的天然结构,所以修复效果不够理想。 目的：将大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞接种到异种去蛋白松质骨上,移植修复大鼠股骨节段性缺损,以体内修复效果来评价复合体应用前景。 方法：分离培养大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞并进行扩增,用BrdU体外进行标记。同时制备牛去蛋白松质骨,在体外与标记后的细胞复合。制备大鼠双侧股骨中段5 mm缺损模型,实验分成3组,缺损处分别移植骨髓间充质干细胞/去蛋白松质骨复合体、单纯去蛋白松质骨及单纯骨髓间充质干细胞。 结果与结论：BrdU免疫染色结果显示,在各组细胞均呈阳性表达,但随着移植时间的延长而减弱。X射线放射学评分及苏木精-伊红染色组织学评分结果显示,各时间段复合体组成骨效果均好于其他组。复合体组Ⅰ型胶原蛋白表达随着时间的延长有明显增强,强于其他组。提示骨髓间充质干细胞复合异种去蛋白松质骨的成骨能力明显强于单纯的支架修复能力,单纯的骨髓间充质干细胞虽然有成骨能力,但不能修复节段性骨缺损。     

Conditioned media from mesenchymal stem cells enhanced bone regeneration in rat calvarial bone defects

Tissue engineering has recently become available as a treatment procedure for bone augmentation. However, this procedure has several problems, such as high capital investment and expensive cell culture, complicated safety and quality management issues regarding cell handling, and patient problems with the invasive procedure of cell collection. Moreover, it was reported that stem cells secrete many growth factors and chemokines during their cultivation, which could affect cellular characteristics and behavior. This study investigated the effect of stem-cell-cultured conditioned media on bone regeneration. Cultured conditioned media from human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-CM) enhanced the migration, proliferation, and expression of osteogenic marker genes, such as osteocalcin and Runx2, of rat MSCs (rMSCs) in vitro. MSC-CM includes cytokines such as insulin-like growth factor-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor. In vivo, a prepared bone defect of a rat calvarial model was implanted in five different rat groups using one of the following graft materials: human MSCs/agarose (MSCs), MSC-CM/agarose (MSC-CM), Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium without serum [DMEM(-)]/agarose [DMEM(-)], PBS/agarose (PBS), and defect only (Defect). After 4 and 8 weeks, implant sections were evaluated using microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) and histological analysis. Micro-CT analysis indicated that the MSC-CM group had a greater area of newly regenerated bone compared with the other groups (p<0.05) and histological analysis at 8 weeks indicated that the newly regenerated bone bridge almost covered the defect. Interestingly, the effects of MSC-CM were stronger than those of the MSC group. In vivo imaging and immunohistochemical staining of transgenic rats expressing green fluorescent protein also showed that migration of rMSCs to the bone defect in the MSC-CM group was greater than in the other groups. These results demonstrated that MSC-CM can regenerate bone through mobilization of endogenous stem cells. The use of stem-cell-cultured conditioned media for bone regeneration is a unique concept that utilizes paracrine factors of stem cells without cell transplantation.     

Bone formation on the apatite-coated zirconia porous scaffolds within a rabbit calvarial defect

Previously, a strong and bioactive ceramic scaffold consisting of a porous zirconia body coated with apatite double layers (fluorapatite (FA) as an inner layer and hydroxyapatite (HA) as an outer layer) was successfully fabricated. In this contribution, the authors investigate the in vivo performance of the engineered bioceramic scaffolds using a rabbit calvarial defect model. In particular, the porosity and pore size of the scaffolds are varied in order to observe the geometrical effects of the scaffolds on their bone formation behaviors. The scaffolds supported on a zirconia framework can be produced with an extremely high porosity (approximately 84-87%), while retaining excellent compressive strength (approximately 7-8 MPa), which has been unachievable in the case of pure apatite scaffolds (approximately 74% porosity with approximately 2 MPa strength).The experimental groups used in this study include three types of zirconia scaffolds coated with apatite; high porosity (approximately 87%) with large pore size (approximately 500- 700 microm): AZ-HL, high porosity (approximately 84%) with small pore size (approximately 150-200 microm): AZ-HS, and low porosity (approximately 75%) with large pore size (approximately 500-700 microm): AZ-LL, as well as one type of HA porous scaffold: low porosity (approximately 74%) with a large pore size (approximately 500-700 microm) for the purpose of comparison. The scaffolds prepared with dimensions of approximately 10 mm (diameter) x 1.2 mm (thickness) are grafted in rabbit calvaria defects. The histological sections are made at 4 and 12 weeks after surgery and immunohistochemical analyses are performed on the samples.All of the specimens show a good healing response without adverse tissue reactions. Good healing is shown at 4 weeks post-surgery with the ingrowth of new bone into the macropore-channels of the scaffolds. The newly formed bone amounts to approximately 19.9-24.2% of the initial defect area, depending on the scaffold type, but there is no statistical significance between the scaffold groups. However, the defects without the scaffolds (control group) show a significantly lower bone formation ratio (approximately 4.3%). At twelve weeks after surgery, the extent of new bone formation is more pronounced in all of the scaffold groups. All of the scaffold groups show significantly higher bone formation ratios (26.7-46.9%) with respect to the control without the graft. In the comparison between the scaffold groups, those with high porosities (AZ-HL and AZ-HS) exhibit significantly higher bone formation as compared to the scaffold with low porosity (AZ-LL).Based on the present in vivo test performed within a rabbit calvaria defect model, it is concluded that the apatite-coated zirconia scaffolds show good bone forming ability and are considered to be a promising scaffolding material for bone regeneration since they possess a high level of both mechanical and biological properties.     

骨组织工程三维复合支架修复兔桡骨骨缺损

背景：前期实验构建的丝素/壳聚糖/纳米羟基磷灰石复合支架具有良好的理化性质。 目的：观察丝素/壳聚糖/纳米羟基磷灰石三维复合支架修复兔桡骨大段骨缺损的效果。 方法：取新西兰大白兔36只,建立右侧桡骨长段骨缺损模型,随机均分为3组,实验组于骨缺损处植入丝素/壳聚糖/纳米羟基磷灰石复合支架,对照组于骨缺损处植入丝素/壳聚糖复合支架,空白对照组造模后不作任何处理。术后4,8,12,16周进行X射线摄片、标本大体观察、组织病理学观察。 结果与结论：术后16周,实验组缺损区X射线影像与正常骨组织无区别,骨髓腔完全再通,有明显的骨组织生成,苏木精-伊红染色可见骨小梁和较多核深染的长梭形骨细胞;对照组X射线骨密度影略低于正常骨组织,部分骨髓腔再通,苏木精-伊红染色可见骨细胞周围有不少软骨细胞,未见明显的骨小梁或骨板结构,排列较紊乱;空白对照组断端骨钙化影同正常骨组织一致,断端各自封闭形成骨不连,苏木精-伊红染色可见较多的纤维组织和少量的类骨组织。表明丝素/壳聚糖/纳米羟基磷灰石三维复合支架可较好地修复兔桡骨大段骨缺损。     

Tissue-engineered bone biomimetic to regenerate calvarial critical-sized defects in athymic rats.

A tissue-engineered bone biomimetic device was developed to regenerate calvaria critical-sized defects (CSDs) in athymic rats. Well-documented evidence clearly confirms that left untreated, CSDs will not spontaneously regenerate bone. To accomplish regeneration, four candidate treatments were assessed: porous poly(D,L-lactide) and type I collagen (PLC), PLC and human osteoblast precursor cells (OPCs) at 2 x 10(5) (PLC/OPCs), PLC and 50 microg of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (PLC/rhBMP-2), and PLC/OPCs/rhBMP-2 (the bone biomimetic device). The hypotheses for this study were PLC/OPCs/rhBMP-2 would promote more new bone formation in CSDs than the other treatments and the amount of bone formation would be time dependent. To test the hypotheses, outcomes from treatments were measured at 2 and 4 weeks postoperatively by radiomorphometry for percent radiopacity and by histomorphometry for square millimeters of new bone formation. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance and Fisher's protected least significant difference for multiple comparisons with p < or = 0.05. At 2 and 4 weeks, radiomorphometric data revealed PLC/rhBMP-2 and PLC/OPCs/rhBMP-2 promoted significantly more radiopacity than either PLC or PLC/OPCs. Histomorphometry data at 2 and 4 weeks indicated significantly more new bone formation for PLC/rhBMP-2, PLC/OPCs/rhBMP-2, and PLC/OPCs compared to PLC. By 4 weeks, PLC/OPCs/rhBMP-2 and PLC/rhBMP-2 had regenerated the CSDs with more new bone than the other treatments; the quantity of bone at 4 weeks for these treatments was greater than at 2 weeks.     

Reconstruction of critical size calvarial bone defects in rabbits with glass-fiber-reinforced composite with bioactive glass granule coating

The aim of this study was to evaluate glass-fiber-reinforced composite as a bone reconstruction material in the critical size defects in rabbit calvarial bones. The bone defect healing process and inflammatory reactions were evaluated histologically at 4 and 12 weeks postoperatively. Possible neuropathological effects on brain tissue were evaluated. The release of residual monomers from the fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC). RESULTS: At 4 weeks postoperatively, fibrous connective tissue ingrowth to implant structures was seen. Healing had started as new bone formation from defect margins, as well as woven bone islets in the middle of the defect. Woven bone was also seen inside the implant. Inflammation reaction was slight. At 12 weeks, part of the new bone had matured to lamellar-type, and inflammation reaction was slight to moderate. Control defects had healed by fibrous connective tissue. Histological examinations of the brain revealed no obvious damage to brain morphology. In HPLC analysis, the release of residual 1,4-butanedioldimethacrylate and methylmethacrylate from polymerized FRC was low. CONCLUSIONS: This FRC-implant was shown to promote the healing process of critical size calvarial bone defect in rabbits. After some modifications to the material properties, this type of implant has the potential to become an alternative for the reconstruction of bone defects in the head and neck area in the future.     

Biological effects of calcium sulfate as a bone graft substitute in ovine metaphyseal defects

Calcium sulfate has been used as a bone graft substitute in many fields, from dentistry to orthopedics. However, the results of many studies have yielded inconclusive results. In the present study, a sheep model was used with tibial and femoral metaphyseal defects to determine whether calcium sulfate was as effective as autograft and allograft in promoting new bone formation in a critical size defect. Medical-grade calcium sulfate pellets, autograft bone, allograft bone, or nothing was used to fill the metaphyseal defects. The sheep were allowed to heal for 12 weeks. Sagittal sections from the bones were analyzed with high-resolution contact radiographs, backscattered electron microscopy, and light microscopy. The volume fractions of bone within the defect perimeter were determined, and the histologic quality of the bone was observed. The volume fraction of new bone in the autograft, calcium sulfate, and allograft were not statistically different, but all were significantly different than the untreated control. The majority of the calcium sulfate had been resorbed at 12 weeks, and the histologic quality of the bone appeared similar to the autograft-treated bone. Calcium sulfate appears to be a useful biocompatible bone graft substitute that yields results similar to autograft bone in sheep metaphyseal defects.     

Repair of calvarial defects with customized tissue-engineered bone grafts I. Evaluation of osteogenesis in a three-dimensional culture system

Bone generation by autogenous cell transplantation in combination with a biodegradable scaffold is one of the most promising techniques being developed in craniofacial surgery. The objective of this combined in vitro and in vivo study was to evaluate the morphology and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow derived mesenchymal progenitor cells and calvarial osteoblasts in a two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) culture environment (Part I of this study) and their potential in combination with a biodegradable scaffold to reconstruct critical-size calvarial defects in an autologous animal model [Part II of this study; see Schantz, J.T., et al. Tissue Eng. 2003;9(Suppl. 1):S-127-S-139; this issue]. New Zealand White rabbits were used to isolate osteoblasts from calvarial bone chips and bone marrow stromal cells from iliac crest bone marrow aspirates. Multilineage differentiation potential was evaluated in a 2-D culture setting. After amplification, the cells were seeded within a fibrin matrix into a 3-D polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold system. The constructs were cultured for up to 3 weeks in vitro and assayed for cell attachment and proliferation using phase-contrast light, confocal laser, and scanning electron microscopy and the MTS cell metabolic assay. Osteogenic differentiation was analyzed by determining the expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin. The bone marrow-derived progenitor cells demonstrated the potential to be induced to the osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic pathways. In a 3-D environment, cell-seeded PCL scaffolds evaluated by confocal laser microscopy revealed continuous cell proliferation and homogeneous cell distribution within the PCL scaffolds. On osteogenic induction mesenchymal progenitor cells (12 U/L) produce significantly higher (p < 0.05) ALP activity than do osteoblasts (2 U/L); however, no significant differences were found in osteocalcin expression. In conclusion, this study showed that the combination of a mechanically stable synthetic framework (PCL scaffolds) and a biomimetic hydrogel (fibrin glue) provides a potential matrix for bone tissue-engineering applications. Comparison of osteogenic differentiation between the two mesenchymal cell sources revealed a similar pattern.     

Biodegradation process of alpha-TCP particles and new bone formation in a rabbit cranial defect model

The purpose of the present study was to observe the biodegradation process of pure alpha-tricalcium phosphate (alpha-TCP) particles and to determine the efficacy of alpha-TCP as a space maintainer in a bone defect. We used 14 rabbits and prepared two cranial bone defects in each rabbit. One defect was left empty as a control, whereas the other was filled with alpha-TCP particles about 300 mum in diameter. Animals were sacrificed at 1 week, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. The cranial bone was then embedded either in paraffin wax for the preparation of decalcified specimens, or in polyester resin for the preparation of nondecalcified specimens. All specimens were evaluated histologically and histomorphometrically. As a consequence of the degradation of alpha-TCP, a "reticulate structure" appeared in the particles at 1 week and new bone was observed in this structure at 8 weeks. The amount of new bone between the control and experimental groups was not significantly different at any of the time points. However, in the experimental group, new bone at the surface of alpha-TCP was evident even in the center of the defect whereas fibrous connective tissue was dominant in the control group. These results indicate that alpha-TCP is a degradable osteoconductive material that is able to act as a space maintainer for bone regeneration when applied to a bone defect. While there was no significant difference in total bone formation between the experimental and negative control groups, the space-maintaining and osteoconductive properties of the particles may result in more complete bone formation in longer-term studies.     

Effects of in vitro bone formation on the mechanical properties of a trabeculated hydroxyapatite bone substitute

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the mechanical properties of a trabecular bone substitute can be enhanced through in vitro tissue formation. Our specific objectives were to (1) determine the effects of in vitro marrow stromal cell-mediated tissue deposition upon a trabeculated hydroxyapatite scaffold on the strength and toughness of the resulting bone substitute; and (2) identify and characterize regions of newly deposited matrix and mineral. This work provides a basis for future investigations aimed at transforming a brittle hydroxyapatite scaffold into an osteoinductive, biomechanically functional implant through in vitro bone deposition. As hypothesized, the mechanical properties of the trabecular bone substitutes were significantly enhanced by in vitro tissue formation. As a result of cell seeding and a 5 week culture protocol, mean strength increased by 85% (p = 0.008) and energy to fracture increased by 130% (p = 0.003). Accompanying the enhancement of mechanical properties was the deposition of significant amounts of bone matrix and mineral. Fluorescence imaging, scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, and nanoindentation confirmed the presence of bonelike mineral with Ca/P ratio, modulus, and hardness similar to that within human and rat trabecular bone tissue. This new mineralization was found to exist within a newly deposited parallel-fibered matrix both encasing and bridging between scaffold trabeculae. Taken as a whole, our results establish the feasibility of the production of an osteoinductive hydroxyapatite-based trabecular bone substitute with mechanical properties enhanced through in vitro bone deposition.