Recruitment of Rat Bone Marrow-Derived Cells to Dental Implants Immediately After Installation

This study investigated the recruitment of bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) to the implant surface during the osseointegration process. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing BMDCs were transplanted into irradiated Sprague-Dawley rats to trace BMDCs following tooth extraction healing. After bone marrow transplantation, the control group exhibited maxillary bone cavities only, whereas the experimental group received implants in these cavities bilaterally. At 1, 3, 5, and 24 hours postoperation, samples were prepared for immunohistochemical staining. At 24 hours postimplantation, the cells were collected from the implant sites and analyzed using double fluorescence staining. In the experimental group, the number of GFP-positive cells gradually increased over time and was significantly greater than that in the control group at the 3- and 24-hour time points. At 24 hours after implantation, the cells around the implant surface were analyzed. Hematopoietic stem cell markers and mesenchymal stem cell markers were detected in the GFP-positive cells. These data showed that bone marrow-derived cells are recruited to the implant surface in the rats' maxillae. These findings also suggest that hematopoietic stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow are important for the establishment of osseointegration in the rats' maxillae in the very early stages. The limitations of this study include its small sample size and relatively short observation period. Future research should involve an increased number of samples and a longer observation timeline. Furthermore, investigating how these cells undergo differentiation over time is necessary.