Osteogenic potential of autogenous bone associated with bone marrow osteoblastic cells in bony defects: a histomorphometric study.

Purpose: Because of limitations of autogenous grafts, allografts, xenografts, alloplasts, and hydroxyapatite as graft materials, researchers have been using bone tissue engineering as a strategy for bone regeneration. The aim of this work was to study the effect of bone tissue engineering, associating bone marrow osteoblastic cells, and autogenous bone in defects created by dental extraction in rats.
Materials and Methods: Eighty male rats from 250 to 300 g were anesthetized, submitted to the extraction of the superior incisor, and divided in control group (C), implanted with osteoblastic cells (OC), autogenous bone (AB), and osteoblastic cells + autogenous bone (OC + AB). The animals were killed on 10th and 20th days after surgery and their maxilla were processed for obtaining fine semiserial sections (5 mum), and then stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Through image analysis system, bone volume in areas adjacent to the implants was estimated.
Results: The histometric results revealed that the association OC + AB produced significant increase (10%-15%) of bone in both experimental periods when compared with the control group (P < or = 0.01).
Conclusions: Osteoblastic cells associated with autogenous bone accelerated the repair of bone defect, and the action of the osteoblastic cells was more effective until the 10th day and of the autogenous bone after this period.