Fixation of porous calcium phosphate with expanded bone marrow cells using an autologous plasma clot

Multipotent human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) are currently the most promising cell type for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. For clinical applications with special focus on fracture repair a method to deliver in vitro-expanded bone marrow cells to the fracture site is presented. Autologous blood plasma clotting was used to fix expanded cells and synthetic tricalcium phosphate particles. A, jelly-like but solid composite matrix was obtained which could easily be handled by the surgeon. The majority of embedded cells remained viable after the plasma gelation process, as was determined by fluorescence microscopy. Experimental cell culture over a period of 15 days showed proliferating mesenchymal stromal cells within the plasma clot.