SYNOPSIS
We combined the use of bone morphogenetic protein-2(BMP-2)-loaded collagen scaffold and cultured bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) sheet in order for developing new bone tissue engineering.
Rat BMSC sheets were generated in the presence of dexamethasone, β-glycerophosphate and ascorbic acid. Four types of the grafts were implanted in the intermuscular region of rat femurs: control group, collagen sponge; cell group, BMSC sheet in collagen sponge; BMP group, BMP-2-loaded collagen sponge; and BMP-cell group, BMSC sheet in BMP-2-loaded collagen sponge. Four weeks after surgery, histological and histomorphometric analysis were performed.
The BMP-cell group demonstrated abundant new bone formation compared to all the other groups (p<0.05) and marked resorption of the implanted collagen when compared to the control and cell groups (p<0.05).
The combination of BMP-2-loaded collagen sponge and BMSC sheet appeared to successfully promote an osteoinduction.

Key words: bone tissue engineering, bone marrow stromal cell, BMP-2, cell sheet, collagen sponge scaffold