Evaluation of a cell-permeable barrier for guided tissue regeneration combined with demineralized bone matrix.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether bone formation by guided tissue regeneration (GTR) and demineralized bone matrix (DBM) can be enhanced by the use of a cell-permeable Teflon barrier allowing the penetration of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells from the surrounding soft tissues.


METHODS
DBM was produced from the long bones of rats, and its bone-inductive properties were tested in three rats prior to the study by intramuscular implantation. Thirty, 4-month-old, male albino rats of the Wistar strain were used. Following surgical exposure of the mandibular ramus, a cell-permeable Teflon capsule, loosely packed with DBM, was placed with its opening facing the lateral surface of the ramus (test side). At the contralateral side, serving as control, a non-perforated (cell-occlusive) Teflon capsule, loosely packed with the same amount of DBM, was placed. After healing periods of 30, 60, and 120 days, groups of 10 animals were killed, and 40-70 microm thick undecalcified sections of the capsules were produced.


RESULTS
Computer-assisted planimetric measurements on the histological sections disclosed similar amounts of newly formed bone in both test and control capsules. After 4 months, the new bone in the control capsules occupied 45.0% of the cross-sectional area of the capsule, while it was 50.5% in the test capsules. This difference was not statistically significant (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Similar amounts of bone formed in cell-permeable and cell-occlusive capsules grafted with DBM, suggesting that invasion of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells from the surrounding soft tissues into the barrier-protected area is unnecessary for bone formation with GTR.
Mardas
N
N
Department of Periodontology and Oral Gerontology, Royal Dental College, University of Aarhus, Denmark.
Kostopoulos
L
L
Stavropoulos
A
A
Karring
T
T
D000818:Animals; D001857:Bone Matrix / Q000637:transplantation*; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000166:cytology* / Q000601:surgery; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D010539:Permeability; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene