Injectable cell-free template for bone-tissue formation.

Here we present a novel injectable hydrogel which forms a template for de novo formation of bone tissue. Hydrogel formation takes place in situ in less than 1 min by the cross-linking of multifunctional hyaluronic acid and polyvinyl alcohol derivatives. Endogenous cells are recruited in vivo by incorporating bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), a powerful promoter for osteogenic differentiation. The hydrogel was evaluated in vitro by performing a cell viability test and a release study and in vivo by a rat ectopic model. Examination by X-ray, microcomputed tomography, and histology revealed a significant bone formation at the target site for gels containing BMP-2, and a complete degradation was observed for gels without BMP-2 four weeks after injection. There were no signs of inflammation or foreign body response in either group and we believe that this system has the potential as an off-the-shelf injectable to be used where bone tissue is needed.