Comparison of bone formed in transplants of isolated scapular and vertebral osteoblasts

To compare the properties of osteoblasts from various endochondrilia bones, scapular and calvarial osteoblasts were intramuscularly transplanted in "sandwiches" made of devitalized calvarial vaults. The structure of transplants produced by both types of bone cells appeared similar. In 4 week-old transplants woven bone with numerous osteoclasts predominated. The area occupied on the cross-sections of transplants by bone tissue was considerably larger than that of the bone marrow cavities. Transplants of 8-week-duration contained mainly cancellous bone, the number of osteoblasts was low and the area taken by medullary space was larger than that of bone tissue. This finding indicates that either osteoblasts from various endochondrlia bones have similar properties or that the possible differences in intrinsic features of these osteoblasts were masked by the conditions of transplantation.