The osteoinductive capacity of differently HCl-decalcified bone alloimplants.

Three procedures to obtain bone inductive implants were tested heterotopically in 3-month-old allogeneic rats: 1) antigen-extracted HCl-decalcified at 4 degrees C, autolysed implant (AAA bone); 2) HCl-decalcified implant at 4 degrees C; 3) HCl-decalcified implant at room temperature. Each type of implant was either deep-frozen at -35 degrees C for at least 2 months or immediately freeze-dried. The bone inductive capacity of the differently HCl-decalcified cortical bone implant was evaluated at 2 months by isotopic strontium incorporation and by ash-weight measurements. Bone HCl-decalcification alone, either at 4 degrees C or at room temperature, gave a higher new bone yield than the freeze-dried AAA bone. The type or short-term preservation technique had no effect on the osteoinductive capacity of either of the differently treated implants, AAA bone expected.