[Lamellar bone culture in vitro]

The objective of this study was to analyze morpho-functional characteristics of the cells in definitive osseous tissue cultured in vitro. Cortical plates, isolated from the fragments of iliac bones of adult rabbits, were cultured in vitro in a nutrient medium. The culture obtained was fixed after 3, 10 and 20 days and processed for scanning electron microscopy. To identify the osteogenic cells, alkaline phosphatase activity was demonstrated. It was established that the processes of cell proliferation and migration from the cultured bone pieces were most active at 10 days after the explanation. The growing cells formed a growth zone around the bone fragment that consisted of three layers, differing in the degree of cellular proliferation and differentiation. After 20 days in culture the cells expressing alkaline phosphatase were shown to form groups. The cells of osteon canals in culture were found to possess potential for proliferation and osteogenic differentiation.