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Updated: May 11, 2026

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Calvarial Model of Bone Augmentation in Rabbit for Assessment of Bone Growth and Neovascularization in Bone Substitution Materials
Published on: August 13, 2019
Synthetic bone substitute engineered with amniotic epithelial cells enhances bone regeneration after maxillary sinus
Barbara Barboni1, Carlo Mangano, Luca Valbonetti
1Department of Comparative Biomedical Science, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy.
Plos One
|May 23, 2013
Summary
Amniotic epithelial cells (AEC) loaded onto a synthetic bone substitute significantly enhance bone regeneration for dental implants. These cells promote osteogenesis and reduce inflammation, showing promise for improved bone grafting procedures.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Background:
- Cell-based therapies combined with bioactive materials show potential for improving bone regeneration before dental implant placement.
- Identifying optimal progenitor/stem cell sources for bone regeneration remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the bone regenerative capacity of amniotic epithelial cells (AEC) when loaded onto a rapid prototyped (rPT) calcium-phosphate synthetic bone substitute.
- To assess the efficacy of AEC-loaded scaffolds in a sheep maxillary sinus model, a relevant animal model for dental applications.
Main Methods:
- Ovine AEC (oAEC) were loaded onto rPT synthetic bone substitute scaffolds.
- Scaffolds (with or without oAEC) were implanted into the maxillary sinuses of adult sheep.
- Tissue regeneration was analyzed at 45 and 90 days post-implantation using micro-CT, morphological, morphometric, and biochemical analyses.
Main Results:
- Scaffolds engineered with oAEC demonstrated enhanced integration and bone deposition compared to scaffolds alone.
- A reduced fibrotic reaction, limited inflammation, and accelerated angiogenesis were observed in oAEC-treated sinuses.
- oAEC significantly stimulated osteogenesis, increasing bone deposition and nucleation sites.
Conclusions:
- Allotransplanted oAEC positively influence scaffold integration and bone deposition in a sheep model.
- oAEC modulate key regenerative events including angiogenesis and inflammation, and directly participate in osteogenesis by expressing osteocalcin (OCN).
- AEC represent a promising cell source for bone regeneration in conjunction with synthetic bone substitutes for dental applications.
