Effect of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2-Expressing Muscle-Derived Cells on Healing of Critical-Sized Bone Defects in Mice

Abstract

Ex vivo gene therapy with muscle-derived cells that have been genetically engineered to express BMP-2 may be used to treat nonhealing bone defects. In addition, muscle-derived cells appear to include stem cells, which are easily obtained with muscle biopsy and could be used in gene therapy to deliver BMP-2.