Objective: To confirm the capability of ectopic bone induction of the bovine bone morphogenetic protein (bBMP), and investigate the bBMP combined with sintered bone (SB) in the treatment of bone defects.
Methods: bBMP was separated from the bovine cortical bone and implanted into the muscle pouches of the balb/c mouses. 4 mouses were killed at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th week, and their tissues were fixed in 4% formalin for histologic examination. The bBMP was combined with sintered bovine cancellons bone (SB), and segmental defects were made at raddi in 16 New Zealand rabbits. One side of the rabbits was implanted with bBMP-SB, and another side implanted with SB. The animals were killed in the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th week after operation for X-ray and histologic examination.
Results: One week after bBMP implantation, the chondrocyte was induced in muscle pouches, the woven bone was seen in 2 weeks, and the trabecular bone was formed in 4 weeks. In bone defects models, the X-ray and histologic examination showed that all parameters (chondrocyte induction, the mount of the trabecular bone, defects heal) were better in the animals treated with bBMP-SB than that with SB.
Conclusion: 1. bBMP can induce ectopic bone formation. 2. bBMP-SB can improve the healing of the bone defects.