Clinical and radiographic characterization of xenotransplantation of rat bonemarrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells for repair of radial defects of rabbit

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiographic aspects of xenogenic transplantation of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for the repair of radial bone defects of rabbit. Bone marrow derived MSCs collected from Wistar rats were expanded, differentiated, and labeled in the laboratory. In the fourth passage, the cultures were pelleted in aliquots of 10 7 cells/50 µL and transplanted in situ into the lesions. Thirty-six rabbits were used in the in vivo study. In all animals, defects were created by removing a bone segment of 1.0 cm in length in the right radius. The rabbits were divided into four experimental groups: the control group (CG) received percutaneously administered 50 µL of phosphate buffer (PBS) in the radial bone defect region 24 h after lesion creation; group 1 (G1) had the radial bone defect filled with absorbable gelatin sponge soaked with 50 µL of PBS during the surgery; group 2 (G2) had the radial bone defect filled with absorbable gelatin sponge soaked with the MSC pellet; and group 3 (G3) received percutaneously the MSC pellet in the radial bone defect region 24 h after lesion creation. No clinical and radiographic changes consistent with cellular rejection were observed. Percutaneous MSC xenotransplantation contributed to the repair of experimental radial bone defects.