Isolation and Assessment of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived From Bone Marrow: Histologic and Histomorphometric Study in a Canine Periodontal Defect

The aim of the present study was to investigate an isolation procedure to culture mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow and evaluate their potential in periodontal regeneration. Potential stem cells from bone marrow, aspirated from the iliac crest of nine mongrel canines 1 to 2 years of age, were cultivated. After the examination of surface epitopes of the isolated cells, the total RNA from osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic cell cultures were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to confirm stem cell gene expressions. 2 X 10(7) mL of the stem cells were loaded on 0.2 mL of anorganic bovine bone mineral (ABBM) granules. In each animal, bilateral acute/chronic intrabony periodontal defects were created surgically and by placement of ligatures around the cervical aspect of the teeth. At week 5, after flap debridement, the bilateral defects were randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups: the control group received ABBM, and the test group received BMSCs-loaded ABBM. Eight weeks after transplantation, regenerative parameters were analyzed histologically and histometrically. The RNA expressions confirmed the cultivation of mesenchymal stem cell. More new cementum and periodontal ligament (PDL) were measured in the test group (cementum: 3.33 +/- 0.94 vs 2.03 +/- 1.30, P=0.027; PDL: 2.69 +/- 0.73 vs 1.53 +/- 1.21, P=0.026). New bone formation was similar in both groups (2.70 +/- 0.86 vs 1.99 +/- 1.31; P=0.193). Mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow should be considered a promising technique for use in patients with periodontal attachment loss and merits further investigations.