Rabbit bone matrix induces bone formation in the athymic rat.

Rabbit and rat bone matrix were implanted in athymic rat muscle, and the bone yield was measured as total calcium content after 4, 6, and 8 weeks. Matrix from both species induced equal amounts of new bone in the athymic rat. In rabbit and normal rat, the xenogenic matrix induced little or no bone formation. Thus, in the case of rabbit and rat, bone induction is species specific due to immunogenic mechanisms. The athymic rat can be used to measure inductive properties of bone matrix from different species.