• Chenglong Dai, Han Guo, Jingxiong Lu, Jianlin Shi, Jie Wei, and Changsheng Liu.
• The State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China.
• Biomaterials. 2011 Nov 1; 32 (33): 8506-17.

AbstractThe regenerative treatment of large osseous defects remains a formidable challenge in orthopedic surgery today. In the present study, we have synthesized biodegradable calcium/magnesium-doped silica-based scaffolds with hierarchically macro/mesoporous structure (CMMS), and incorporated recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) into the scaffolds to obtain a hybrid system for osteogenic factor delivery in the functional repair of bone defects. The developed CMMS/rhBMP-2 scaffolds presented interconnected porous network, macropores (200-500 μm) and mesopores (5.7 nm), as well as good bioactivity and biocompatibility and proper degradation rate. Combined with the capacity to deliver ions and growth factors, the CMMS/rhBMP-2 scaffolds significantly promoted the in vitro osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells (bMSCs), as evidenced by the enhanced expression of Runx-2, osteopontin, osteocalcin and bone sialoprotein, and induced the ectopic bone formation in the thigh muscle pouches of mice. We further assessed the in vivo effects of CMMS/rhBMP-2 scaffolds in a rabbit femur cavity defect model by using synchrotron radiation-based μCT (SRμCT) imaging and histological analysis, indicating that the CMMS/rhBMP-2 scaffolds resulted in more bone regeneration compared to that observed with the CMMS scaffolds without rhBMP-2. Moreover, scaffolds with or without rhBMP-2 underwent gradual resorption and replacement with bone and almost disappeared at 12 weeks, while the dense CMMS/rhBMP-2 material showed slower degradation rate and promoted the least extensive neo-bone formation. This study suggested that the hybrid CMMS/rhBMP-2 scaffolds system demonstrates promise for bone regeneration in clinical case of large bone defects.Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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