Assessment of bone formation capacity using in vivo transplantation assays: procedure and tissue analysis

In vivo assessment of bone formation (osteogenesis) potential by isolated cells is an important method for analysis of cells and factors control ling bone formation. Currently, cell implantation mixed with hydroxyapa-tite/tricalcium phosphate in an open system (subcutaneous implantation) in immunodeficient mice is the standard method for in vivo assessment of bone formation capacity of a particular cell type. The method is easy to perform and provides reproducible results. Assessment of the donor origin of tissue formation is possible, especially in the case of human-to-mouse transplanta tion, by employing human specific antibodies or in situ hybridization using human specific Alu-repeat probes. Recently, several methods have been developed to quantitate the newly formed bone using histomorphometric methods or using non-invasive imaging methods. This chapter describes the use of in vivo transplantation methods in testing bone formationpotential of human mesenchymal stem cells.