Cell Journal (Jan 2008)
In vivo Bone Formation by Canine Mesenchymal Stem Cells Loaded onto HA/TCP Scaffolds: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
Abstract
Objective: Biphasic ceramics of hydroxyapatite and three calcium phosphate (HA/TCP) are increasingly being used as a bone substitute in regenerative surgery. Toincrease the bone forming capacities, HA/TCP Scaffolds could be enriched with osteogenicfactor like mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) which is the subject of presentstudy.Materials and Methods: Passaged-3 culture-expanded MSCs of canines bone marrowwere suspended in a diluted collagen gel and loaded onto commercially-availableHA/TCP ceramics. The cell-loaded scaffolds were then autologously implanted alongwith the control cell-free scaffolds in masseter muscles of the four mongrel dogs. Eightweeks later, the parts of their muscles including the implants were prepared for alight microscopy. To quantify the amount of bone formation, the slides of both studiedgroups were photographed and the percent area of the newly formed bone was calculatedusing Image-Pro Plust software.Results: According to our observations, the implants were appeared to be encapsulatedby fibrous tissue within the muscle. No cartilage tissues were observed inimplantation site. Histological observation indicated that ectopic bone was formed inboth MSCs-loaded scaffolds as well as the control cell-free implants. The percentageof newly formed bone for cell loaded HA/TCP scaffolds was %29.12±6.01 comparedto %23.55±4.99 of the cell-free implants (p<0.05). Furthermore, lamellar mature bonewas only observed in cells/scaffold groups.Conclusion: Taken together, it seems that MSCs enhance bone formation capacity ofHA/TCP. The formed bone following MSCs/scaffold composite implantation appearedto be histologically lymature lamellar bone.
