Bone Regeneration Using Dedifferentiated Fat Cells with PuraMatrix^TM

Abstract

Dedifferentiated fat cells (DFATs) possess osteogenic potential making them a promising cell source for bone regeneration. PuraMatrix^TM (PM), a self-assembling peptide scaffold, produces a nanoscale environment for cells. We examined radiologically the osteogenic potential and application of DFATs with PM for bone regeneration in rabbit calvarial defect models.
DFATs were obtained from ceiling culture, and subsequently cultured in normal media (NM) or osteogenic media (OM). Their in vitro osteogenic differentiation potential was assessed using alizarin red staining, and by measuring osteocalcin expression and calcium concentration. Eighteen 6-mm calvarial defects were randomly treated in vivo with osteo-induced DFATs + PM, DFATs + PM, and PM scaffold, or no treatment. After 8 weeks, calvaria were harvested and the degree of healing between treatment groups was radiologically compared.
Osteocalcin expression in OM significantly increased at 7 and 14 days, as well as calcium concentration at 21 days. There was no difference in healing among the four groups radiologically.
Rabbit DFATs efficiently differentiate into osteoblasts when cultured in OM. To demonstrate DFAT usefulness in vivo, progressively more sophisticated animal models must be developed.