Effects Of Distraction Forces And RhBMP-4 On The Cellular Proliferation And Differentiation In Cranial Sagittal Suture Of Rats

Background: Cranial sutures are intramembranous bone growth sites in which there are mainly mesenchymal cells, osteoblastic cells, fibroblastic cells and their progenitors. The bone growth within sutures is achieved through a series of cellular activities, including recruitment of mesenchymal cells to the osteogenic cell lineage, stimulation of committed osteogenic cell proliferation, and differentiation followed by matrix mineralization at the advancing osteogenic front to preserve sutural existence. Suture distraction osteogenesis is defined as when the stress is applied to sutures, new bone is produced at the edges of the bone fronts. And this technique is frequently used to obtain harmonious craniofacial skeletal relations. Now, more attention has been paid to the understanding of the cell biological mechanism.Since the craniofacial suture osteogenesis is intramembranous one, the osteoblastic cells are the source. The osteoblastic cells are evolved from mesenchymal cells or others progenitors. The aims of this experiment are to observe the cellular responses to mechanical stress and rhBMP-4 in vitro.Material and Methods: 20-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this...