Comparison study between plasma rich in growth factors and platelet-rich plasma for osteoconduction in rat calvaria

Objective Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can be rapidly obtained from patient blood. They are a new and potentially useful adjunct in oral and maxillofacial bone repair or regenerative surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the possibility of new bone formation using PRGF and PRP. Methods The osteogenic potential with transplantation of PRGF or PRP onto rat calvaria was evaluated by histologic examination and microCT. PRGF or PRP was prepared by centrifugation of rat whole blood (WB). First, the cells in the blood product were counted; there were no leukocytes in PRGF, and PRP included leukocytes. PRGF contained higher levels of TGF-β1 and PDGF-BB than PRP. Furthermore, PRGF or PRP was transplanted onto calvarial bone of rats. Results MicroCT showed that PRGF promoted an increase in bone volume when compared to PRP. Histological observation demonstrated that the PRGF group showed newly formed bone in a wide range. In addition, the PRP group showed numerous inflammatory cells compared to the PRGF group in HE-stained specimens. This suggests that PRP might delay bone regeneration due to the inflammatory response. Conclusions PRGF has more availability for bone regeneration than PRP, and PRGF may be useful in bone regeneration treatment.