A study on a tissue-engineered bone using rhBMP-2 induced periosteal cells with a porous nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen/poly(L-lactic acid) scaffold

We investigated the in vivo osteogenic ability of rhBMP-2 induced periosteal cells in a new porous scaffold, nano-hydroxyapatite (nano-HA)/collagen/poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA). The nano-HA/collagen/PLA composites were utilized as an extracellular matrix for a cell-based strategy of bone tissue engineering. Periosteal cells were cultivated with 500 ng ml(-1) rhBMP-2, followed by seeding into prewet nano-HA/collagen/PLA scaffolds. The cell-scaffold constructs were then subcutaneously implanted in nude mice compared to controls with cell suspension and scaffold alone. Scanning electron microscopy examination proved that the scaffold supported adhesion and proliferation of periosteal cells. Histological bone formation was observed only in experimental groups with cell transplants 8 weeks post-implantation. The animals of the control groups did not show bone formation. The results strongly encourage the approach of the transplantation of rhBMP-2 induced periosteal cells within a suitable carrier structure for bone regeneration.