Bone Gla: protein in blood derived directly from human bone tissue.

In order to find out whether the concentration of bone gla-protein (BGP) is elevated in blood derived directly from bone tissue compared to peripherically sampled blood a peroperative model was used. Blood was collected simultaneously from an armvein and from the osteotomized surface of the bone during total hip replacement in 18 patients. Peripheral blood was also collected before the anaesthetic procedure. The anaesthetic and/or the operative procedure slightly decreased the level of BGP in the peripheral blood during this short time interval, but serum BGP was not different in the bone - marrow derived blood and in the peripheral blood taken simultaneously. These data suggest that BGP released from bone into the circulation is rapidly cleared from the marrow and that peripheral serum BGP is a valid index of the bone-derived levels of BGP.