The study aim was to evaluate the effect of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) cultured in titanium fiber mesh and implanted in a rat cranial defect. A total of 24 titanium meshes were placed in a tube containing 10 ml BMSC suspension (3 x 10(6)cells/ml) and the tube was rotated on a rotation plate (2 rpm) during 3 h. Thereafter, meshes with cells were subcultured for 1 day under standard conditions. Cell-loaded implants and non-cell-loaded controls were placed in a 8 mm cranial defect and retrieved after 3, 15 and 30 days of implantation. Histology showed that after 3 days of implantation, the mesh porosity of both implant groups was mainly invaded with blood cells. On the other hand, at 15 days of implantation, the cell-loaded implants were filled for 15 +/- 10% of their volume with bone, while the controls showed 1.5 +/- 3.5% of bone. The 30-day cell-loaded implants showed 40 +/- 12.5% of bone and the 30-day control implants 17 +/- 14.5%. At both implantation times the differences were statistically significant. Therefore, we conclude that inoculation of titanium fiber mesh with BMSCs can improve the bone healing capacity of this material.
Copyright 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd.