Human maxillary tuberosity and jaw periosteum as sources of osteoprogenitor cells for tissue engineering

Objective. Bone tissue engineering is a promising approach for bone reconstruction in oral-maxillofacial surgery. This study investigates the suitability of oral skeletal tissues as convenient and accessible sources of osteogenic progenitors as an alternative to the iliac crest bone marrow. Study design. Samples of maxilla tuberosity (MT) and maxillary and mandibular periosteum (MP) were obtained during routine oral surgery, and donor site morbidity was assessed using a split-mouth approach. Cells isolated from MT (bone marrow stromal cells; MT-BMSCs) and from MP (periosteal cells; M-PCs), were analyzed for clonogenicity, phenotype, expression of osteogenic markers, and ability to form bone in vivo. Results. Both MT-BMSCs and M-PCs included clonogenic cells, showed comparable phenotypic profiles, and expressed early osteogenic markers. Most importantly, both cell populations formed bone upon ectopic in vivo transplantation. Conclusion. MT-BMSCs and M-PCs behaved as osteoprogenitor cells in vitro and in vivo. MT and MP may be considered as suitable sources of cells for bone tissue engineering in humans.