Bone Regeneration Strategies in Animal Models

Bone regeneration research utilises animal models to evaluate the efficacy of biomaterials, cellular therapies and surgical techniques under physiologically relevant conditions. Such models range from small rodents to large mammals, each offering unique advantages in terms of bone healing rate, defect size and anatomical similarity to humans. Central strategies include the use of critical-size defects to assess spontaneous versus assisted repair, the implantation of osteoconductive scaffolds to provide a three-dimensional matrix for new bone, and the delivery of osteogenic cells or growth factors to enhance osteoinductive signals. Advances in imaging, notably high-resolution micro-computed tomography, have enabled volumetric analysis of bone formation within complex graft designs. Collectively, these approaches inform the translation of preclinical findings into clinical applications, from jaw reconstruction to long-bone repair, driving forward innovations in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Innovative volumetric imaging methods now offer unprecedented insight into scaffold performance within critical-size calvarial defects. A study in rabbit calvarias introduced a three-dimensional micro-CT analysis that segments defect regions to quantify new bone volume relative to native bone, revealing differential regenerative potential across graft zones and improving predictive power for clinical graft design. In a large animal model, tri-calcium phosphate–poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) scaffolds seeded with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells accelerated mandibular defect healing in minipigs, demonstrating significant increases in bone volume and osteocalcin deposition compared with cell-free constructs and underscoring the synergistic role of stem cells and biomaterials in complex defect repair.

Bone Regeneration Strategies in Animal Models publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in bone regeneration strategies in animal models across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Critical-size defect: A bone lesion that will not heal spontaneously without intervention, used to evaluate regenerative strategies.

Osteoconductive scaffold: A biomaterial that provides a framework for new bone growth without actively stimulating osteogenesis.

Osteoinduction: The process by which growth factors or signalling molecules induce progenitor cells to differentiate into osteoblasts.

Mesenchymal stem cells: Multipotent stromal cells capable of differentiating into bone-forming osteoblasts and other lineages.

Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT): A high-resolution imaging technique for non-destructive three-dimensional visualisation of bone architecture and regeneration.

References

1. Regeneration of alveolar bone defects in the experimental pig model: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Clinical Oral Implants Research (2024).
2. Animal Models for Investigating Osseointegration: An Overview of Implant Research over the Last Three Decades. Journal of Functional Biomaterials (2024).
3. A novel micro-CT analysis for evaluating the regenerative potential of bone augmentation xenografts in rabbit calvarias. Scientific Reports (2024).
4. Bone regeneration of minipig mandibular defect by adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells seeded tri-calcium phosphate- poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) scaffolds. Scientific Reports (2020).