Premixed calcium phosphate cement as a carrier of bone morphogenetic protein

Aims Bone defects caused by bone loss due to trauma or tumours are common, with grafting of transplanted tissue currently as the gold standard for bone replacement. However, there are many issues inherent with autograft, including donor site morbidity, supply of tissue and infection [1]. In order to overcome these drawbacks, a diverse array of synthetic biomaterials is under development [2]. Calcium phosphate cements (CPC) are a group of injectable calcium phosphates [3]. CPCs are particularly advantageous due to their low setting temperature and ease of administration by syringe, which allow for minimally invasive surgery. Their physiological setting temperature also makes them convenient carriers for drugs such as bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) [4], which some surgeons use routinely during surgery for its ability to promote differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells to osteoblasts. Our aim was to develop an easy-to-handle alloplastic material with osteoinductive properties, accelerating bone ingrowth by stimulating osteogenic differentiation.