Central Bringing Excellence in Open Access   JSM Biotechnology & Biomedical Engineering Cite this article: Atasoy A, Kose GT (2016) Biology of Cancellous Bone Graft Materials and their Usage for Bone Regeneration. JSM Biotechnol Bioeng 3(2): 1051. *Corresponding author Ayse g ul Ata so y, Ye d ite p e Unive rsity, Fa c ulty o f Eng ine e ring a nd Arc hite c ture , De p a rtme nt o f G e ne tic s a nd Bio e ng ine e ring , 34755, Ista nb ul, Turke y, Te l: 902165780216; E-mail: Submitte d: 27 April 2016 Accepted: 14 June 2016 Publishe d: 17 June 2016 ISSN: 2333-7117 Copyright © 2016 Ata so y e t a l. OPEN ACCESS Ke ywo rds • C a nc e llo us b o ne g ra ft • O rtho p e d ic re se a rc h • O ste o ind uc tio n • G ra ft b io lo g y Review Article Biology of Cancellous Bone Graft Materials and their Usage for Bone Regeneration Aysegul Atasoy* and Gamze Torun Kose Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Yeditepe University, Turkey Abstract Bone grafting have been used to treat nonunion, union and acute fractures. Autologous cancellous bone grafts are still the most effective graft material for stimulating bone repair since they present osteoconduction, osteoinduction and osteogenic capacity that are mainly requirements for bone regeneration. However, there are several negative aspects of autologous cancellous grafts such as additional surgical site, post-operative complications and inadequate amount of grafts. Allogeneic cancellous bone grafts, on the other hand, have the same characteristics as cancellous autograft with the exclusion of osteogenic capacity. Understanding of various biological processes such as host mediated immune response, osteo-integration of the graft within host and new bone re-modelling leads to improve the new biological strategies for endosseous grafts. We’ll discuss the biology of the cancellous bone graft which is essential to understand host-graft incorporate and also evaluate the specifc factors associated with the osseous healing around the graft. ABBREVIATIONS MSCs: Mesenchymal Stem Cells; DBM: Demineralized Bone Matrix; PRP: Platelet Rich Plasma; HA: Hydroxyapatite; TCP: Tricalcium Phosphate; IP-CHA: Interconnected Porous Calcium Hydroxyapatite ceramics; PLA-PEG: Polymer poly D,L,-lactic acid- polyethyleneglycol block co-polymer; BMPs: Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; rhBMPs: Recombinant Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; PDGFs: Platelets include Platelet Derived Growth Factors; TGF-β: Transforming Growth Factor-beta; VEGF: Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; EGF: Epidermal Growth Factor; IGFs: Insulin-like Growth Factors; b-FGF: Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor; AATB: American Association of Tissue Banks; FDA: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration. INTRODUCTION Bone tissue can regenerate and repair itself. However, in some cases such as massive bone defects or pathological fractures, bone tissue can’t heal itself resulting in delayed unions or non-union, bone lesions and fractures with bone loss. Bone grafting is usually necessary when there is a great loss of healthy bone substance. After a grave injury, a tumor operation, or when an artificial joint is replaced, these grafts contribute towards the rapid anatomical and physiological restoration of tissue defects in patients. Appropriate bone graft material is generally selected taking into account several factors such as defect size, graft shape and their biological and mechanical features, preservation techniques and graft handling. Bone grafts are widely used in orthopedic field such as oral maxillofacial, reconstructive surgery, musculoskeletal injuries and sports medicine involving bone from minor defects to major bone loss [1]. BONE GRAFT PROPERTIES Bone grafts show biological and mechanical features and provide a scaffolding so that new bone can be formed through osteogenesis, osteoinduction, and osteoconduction [2,3]. Graft materials should have at least two of these biological properties. Osteoconduction is described as one of the feature of bone graft that provides three dimensional scaffold for osteoblasts, facilitate vascularization and provide the migration of new host cells with osteogenic activity. Incorporation of bone graft materials depends on host surrounding viable tissue. Mechanical and biological properties of host-graft interface should permit the integration of the graft with the local host bone for successful osteogenic activity. As a new bone is formed, the graft could be partially or entirely resorbed through the bone formation process [4-6]. Osteoinduction is defined as the improvement of new bone formation in which MSCs are gathered from the host tissue and differentiated into bone cells by the stimulation of new bone productions such as bone proteins, growth factors and cytokines. Osteogenesis is the process of new bone formation results from the transplantation of osteoprogenitor cells along with the growth factors from the bone graft or the host bed. Only autograft materials have osteoblast cells and their precursors. In