Co-financed from the Ministry of Defence RS (code: TP MIR 06/RR/12)
The project ‘Development of tissue engineered bone substitutes’ has just been finished. The goal of the project was to develop a new procedure for making autologous bone tissue substitutes. For this purpose we isolated mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from the patient’s bone marrow. The cells were then multiplied 'in vitro' until the desired number was obtained. Compared to cells isolated from bone, stem cells have a much greater capability to multiply without affecting their osteogenic potential. The MSC cells were differentiated into osteoblasts and transferred to a biocompatible and biodegradable scaffold that has the right firmness and, at the same time, allows shaping of the graft to the damaged tissue. This tissue engineered bone substitute was then implanted by a surgeon into the site of injury in the long bone of the patient.
Similar studies worldwide have shown that, with the help of MSC, it is possible to treat injuries of long bone where classical methods have failed.