Osteogenic potential of infant dural grafts in different recipient beds.

An experimental study in adult rats was designed to test whether infant dura, when transplanted as an isograft to different recipient beds, can maintain its osteogenic potential. There was bone regeneration in more than 50% of the defects in all animals in which infant dura was present. There was minimal bone regeneration in defects in which adult dura remained alone and in which the dural defect repaired with adult dural graft. Ectopic bone did not form on the abdominal fascia or in the abdominal muscles from either infant or adult dural transplantation.