Bone Mineral Density of Lengthened Rabbit Tibia Is Enhanced by Transplantation of Fresh Autologous Bone Marrow Cells

Abstract

Autologous bone marrow cells were transplanted into the primitive callus in the lengthened tibia in young and adult rabbits. Bone mineral density (BMD) in the lengthened callus was evaluated using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Basal BMD in the lengthened callus in the young rabbits was higher than that in the adult rabbits (p < 0.001). Transplantation of fresh suspended bone marrow cells increased the BMD in the young (p < 0.01) and adult (p < 0.001) groups. In the young rabbits, lysate of the bone marrow cells decreased the BMD (p < 0.005). Transplantation of cultured colony-forming cells or of separated multinucleated marrow cells did not increase the BMD. The authors' study indicates that the osteogenesis of the lengthened rabbit tibia is enhanced by transplantation of fresh autologous bone marrow cells.