Autologous osteoblast transplantation, an innovative method of bone defect treatment: role of a tissue and cell bank in the process.
BACKGROUND
The idea of cell treatment of various diseases and medical conditions has become very popular. Some procedures are well established, as is autologous chondrocyte implantation, whereas others are still in the process of early development, laboratory experiments, and some clinical trials.


METHODS
This report is devoted to an example of an emerging cell treatment: bone augmentation with the use of autologous cells and its legal and technical background. Various requirements set by law must be met by tissue banks performing cell seeding of grafts. In Europe, the requirements are described in directives 2004/23/EC, 2006/17/EC, 2006/86/EC, and in the regulation 2007/1394/EC.


RESULTS
Revitalization of biostatic allografts gives new, promising tools for creation of functional parts of organs; brings the methodology used in tissue banks closer to tissue engineering; places the enterprise in the mainstream of advanced biotechnology; allows the full potential of tissue allografts; and opens a new, large area for clinical and laboratory research. Cell and tissue processing also have a financial impact on the treatment: it produces additional expenditures.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical effectiveness will be the most decisive factor of whether this innovative treatment will be applied in a particular type of medical condition. From a tissue establishment perspective, the most important issue is to develop a procedure that ensures safety for the patient in graft quality terms.
Department of Transplantology and Central Tissue Bank, Medical University of Warsaw, and National Centre for Tissue and Cell Banking, Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: ewa.olender@wum.edu.pl.
E
E
Olender
American Association of Tissue Banks, McLean, Virginia.
S
S
Brubaker
Department of Transplantology and Central Tissue Bank, Medical University of Warsaw, and National Centre for Tissue and Cell Banking, Warsaw, Poland.
I
I
Uhrynowska-Tyszkiewicz
Department of Dental Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
A
A
Wojtowicz
Department of Transplantology and Central Tissue Bank, Medical University of Warsaw, and National Centre for Tissue and Cell Banking, Warsaw, Poland.
A
A
Kaminski
D000465:Algorithms; D018586:Bone Banks; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D019070:Cell Lineage; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D014015:Tissue Banks; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous