OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of using marrow stromal osteoblast (MSO) as bone derived cell and using cancellous bone matrix (CBM) as scaffold for bone tissue engineering, the subcutaneous osteogenesis of MSO-CBM compound artificial bone (MCCAB) was observed in the experiment.

METHODSThe marrow stromal cells of adult New Zealand rabbits cultivated and induced in vitro were used to form MCCAB by mixing, seeding and solidifying methods assisted by alginate. The MCCABs were auto-transplanted subcutaneously into the rabbits for 4 to 8 weeks. The alginate-cancellous bone matrix composites or the cancellous bone matrix alone were implanted as control. The effectiveness of bone formation was assessed by means of roentgenography, histology and computerized histomorphometry.

RESULTSThe osteogenesis of MCCABs was better than that of the alginate-cancellous bone matrix composites and of the cancellous bone matrixes. In the MCCABs, both intramembranous and cartilaginous osteogeneses were seen but the former was obvious. In the control, only slight cartilaginous osteogeneses were seen.

CONCLUSIONSThe osteogeneses of the MCCABs constructed by using tissue engineering method were obvious when transplanted subcutaneously. The MSO and CBM can be used as good bone-derived cell and scaffold material respectively for tissue-engineered bone construction.