Bone regeneration with adipose derived stem cells in a rabbit model

It has been shown that stem cells are able to calcify both <i<in vitro</i< and <i<in vivo</i< once implanted under the skin, if conveniently differentiated. Nowadays, however, a study on their efficiency in osseous regeneration does not exist in scientific literature and this very task is the real aim of the present experimentation. Five different defects of 6 mm in diameter and 2 mm in depth were created in the calvaria of 8 white New Zealand rabbits. Four defects were regenerated using 2 different conveniently modified scaffolds (Bio-Oss® Block and Bio-Oss Collagen®, Geistlich), with and without the aid of stem cells. After the insertion, the part was covered with a collagen membrane fixed by 5 modified titan pins (Altapin®). The defect in the front was left empty on purpose as an internal control to each animal. Two animals were sacrificed respectively after 2, 4, 6, 10 weeks. The samples were evaluated with micro-CT and histological analysis. Micro-CT analysis revealed that the quantity of new bone for samples with Bio-Oss® Block and stem cells was higher than for samples with Bio-Oss® Block alone. Histological analysis showed that regeneration occurred in an optimal way in every sample treated with scaffolds. The findings indicated that the use of adult stem cells combined with scaffolds accelerated some steps in normal osseous regeneration.