title: Growth factors and bone regeneration: how much bone can we expect?
abstract: A large body of research has investigated the use of growth factors for bone regeneration, as a potential alternative to autogenous bone grafting. The bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) represent the most extensively investigated growth factors to date, as potential therapeutic agents for bone regeneration. Despite decades of research, the ideal growth factor or combination of growth factors for bone regeneration remains undefined. This article reviews the current available evidence for the application of growth factors for bone regeneration, with a focus on the clinical evidence for BMP use. Emerging pre-clinical and clinical evidence for growth factors other than the BMPs is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Orthopaeadics, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. aaron.nauth@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nauth
authors.forename: Bill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ristevski
authors.forename: Ru
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Emil H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Schemitsch
mesh_terms: D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins