RESUMEN
To investigate the ability of composite graft of osteobalsts and deproteinized bone-titanium mesh (DPB-TM) scaffold to repair cranial bone defect. 30 rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups. The passage 3 fetal rabbit osteoblasts were seeded into porous DPB-TM scaffolds at the density of 5 x 10(6) ml(-1) as the experimental group. The same defects were respectively reconstructed by DPB-TM or osteoblasts as the control groups. After 12 weeks, the result was evaluated by three-dimensional computed tomographic scanning, gross inspection, scanning electron microscopy, histological examination and mechanics test, respectively. In the experimental group, bone trabecula was observed to pass the defect and interface was mixed. No demarcation between the region of the bone defect and the normal bone was observed. There was plenty of new bone on the scaffold. Part of the scaffold was absorbed. In view of mechanics, the intensity of artificial bone (18.93+/-1.12 MPa) was higher than that of normal bone (16.96+/-1.60 MPa) (P<0.05). In the control groups, only fibrous tissue was observed in the defect region, there was no new bone formation. The tissue engineering bone constructed by osteoblasts and DPB-TM scaffold can be applied to the repair of bone defect.