Subperiosteal implantation of bone morphogenetic protein adsorbed to hydroxyapatite.

Bone development was induced by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) adsorbed to hydroxyapatite (HAP) under the periosteum of rat parietal bone. The BMP was isolated by Sephacryl-S200 column chromatography after passage through a membrane filter system. The yield of the fraction with BMP activity was 20 times greater than yields obtained by conventional methods. BMP was adsorbed to HAP in vacuo. HAP alone was implanted as a control. The formation of cartilage and bone was observed seven days after the implantation of BMP-HAP, and the newly formed bone fused with the host calvaria after 28 days. In control rats, no bone formation was seen within 56 days after implantation. The BMP-HAP complex was more effective in induced periosteal bone formation than HAP only.