BACKGROUND:The phenomenon of osteoinduction by biomaterials has been proven in animal experiments. OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether the ability of a biomaterial to initiate bone formation in ectopic implantation sites improves the performance of osteoinductive biomaterial as a scaffold for tissue-engineered bone. METHODS:We compared ectopic bone formation by combining autologous adipose-derived stromal cells with an osteoinductive and a nonosteoinductive biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic to create a tissue engineering construction in the muscle of dogs. Al implants were implanted in the back muscle of 10 adult dogs for 8 weeks and 12 weeks, including osteoinductive biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic+adipose-derived stromal cells (osteoinductive complex group), osteoinductive biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic (osteoinductive broup), nonosteoinductive biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic+adipose-derived stromal cells (nonosteoinductive complex group), and nonosteoinductive biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic (nonosteoinductive group). Micro-CT analysis and histomorphometry were performed to evaluate and quantify ectopic bone formation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Ectopic bone formation was visible in the osteoinductive complex group and osteoinductive group, and the former group was superior to the latter one in quality of new bone (P<0.05). However, there was no ectopic bone formation in the other two groups. Micro-CT results were consistent with the histomorphological detection. These findings indicate that osteoinductive biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic, as a kind of bone tissue engineering scaffold material, has a better osteogenic capacity, while adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells serve as seed cells to promote the ectopic bone formation.