title: Mandibular distraction osteogenesis enhanced by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was to observe the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on new bone formation in a rat mandibular osteodistraction model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Autologous bone marrow stem cells were obtained from tibiae of 40 male rats. Two weeks after cell harvest, the rats underwent right mandibular distraction and were then randomly divided into two groups (group A=20, group B=20). After distraction was complete, the stem cells were injected into the distracted gaps in group A, while the rats in group B only received physiological saline. Twenty rats (10 from each group) were sacrificed on postoperative days 27 and 55, respectively. The distracted mandibles were harvested and processed for radiographic, histological and histomorphometric analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The radiodensity of the distraction zone was higher in group A than in group B at both time points. Histologically callus was found in both groups but more bone was formed in group A. Histomorphometric analysis also demonstrated that both new bone volume and thickness of the new trabeculae were significantly greater in group A than in group B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that autologous bone marrow stem cell transplantation may be considered as a potential method to accelerate bone regeneration in the distraction gap, and enhance consolidation.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering, Centre of Orthognathic Surgery, West China College of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Mengchun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Shujuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Haixiao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Lichi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D002146:Bony Callus / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D023421:Models, Animal; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000379:methods*; D011859:Radiography; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley