Muscle regeneration and transplantation enhanced by bone marrow cells.

This work was undertaken in an attempt to improve the usually poor results of muscle regeneration and grafting in cases of muscle injury. Since bone marrow cells markedly increase myogenic growth in vitro (in Millipore diffusion chambers), we added autogenous and isologous bone marrow cells to minced muscle grafts or to sites of excised muscle in rats. In each case the opposite side was left without added marrow cells, to serve as a control. The results showed that addition of bone marrow produces more extensive muscle regeneration with little fibrosis. The myogenesis-stimulating and antibacterial properties of bone marrow cells warrant further study, aiming towards clinical application of the method.