Bone morphogenetic protein and ceramic-induced osteogenesis

To investigate the relationship between bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) a nd calcium phosphate ceramic-induced osteogenesis in soft tissues, in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed. In an in vitro study, the ability of different calcium phosphate ceramics to absorb bovine BMP (bBMP) from a bBMP solution was tested. In vivo studies included immunohistochemical BMP staining before bone formation in the ceramics was detected, and the enhanc ement of bone formation in calcium phosphate ceramics by bBMP. The results were: (1) calcium phosphate ceramics have a strong ability to absorb bBMP; (2) a high BMP concentration reaches inside the ceramic implants before bon e formation in soft tissues of domestic pig occurs; (3) by 56% at 50 d and by 23% at 100 d, bBMP enhances bone formation in calcium phosphate ceramics implanted in soft, tissues of dogs. The results indicate the BMP plays an important role in calcium phosphate ceramic-induced osteogenesis and that a dsorption of native BMP from the body fluids to ceramic implants may be a k ey step in osteoinduction by calcium phosphate ceramics (C) 1998 Kluwer Aca demic Publishers.