The influence of the stable expression of BMP2 in fibrin clots on the remodelling and repair of osteochondral defects.

Growth factors like BMP2 have been tested for osteochondral repair, but transfer methods used until now were insufficient. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse if stable BMP2 expression after retroviral vector (Bullet) transduction is able to regenerate osteochondral defects in rabbits. Fibrin clots colonized by control or BMP2-transduced chondrocytes were generated for in vitro experiments and implantation into standardized corresponding osteochondral defects (n=32) in the rabbit trochlea.

Efficient and stable gene transfer of growth factors into chondrogenic cells and primary articular chondrocytes using a VSV.G pseudotyped retroviral vector.

Since efficient transfer of foreign genes into primary articular chondrocytes (CC) is difficult, a VSV.G pseudotyped retroviral vector (Bullet) was developed for marker and growth factor gene transfer. Transduction efficiency was analysed by FACS.