The Effect of Regional Gene Therapy with Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2-Producing Bone-Marrow Cells on the Repair of Segmental Femoral Defects in Rats*

Abstract

This study demonstrated that BMP-2-producing bone-marrow cells created by means of adenoviral gene transfer produce sufficient protein to heal a segmental femoral defect. We also established the feasibility of ex vivo gene transfer with the use of biologically acute autologous short-term cultures of bone-marrow cells.