Osteogenesis in rabbit ear chambers.

Heterotopic osteogenesis was studied in vivo by grafting 246 bone tissue grafts onto 39 cultures chambers inserted in the ears of 27 rabbits. Bone formation was obtained from 23 out of 24 autografts placed inside the optical part (greater than 0.1 mm deep) of 8 ear chambers. No bone tissue formation was observed in the optical part (less than 0.1 mm deep) of 23 chambers in which a total of 129 autografts had been placed in a communicating deeper non-optical part. Bone formation was always obtained after autografting bone tissue to the non-optical part of a titanium-glass ear chamber of own design, and bone tissue entered the optical part of these chambers when this was deeper than 0.1 mm. The possible source of bone formation in rabbit ear chambers is mentioned. Resorption of bone tissue autografts was regularly obtained.