Periosteum-derived Micrografts for bone regeneration

Bone regeneration is currently one of the most widely researched topics in regenerative medicine. Several bone-grafting materials have been introduced and compared. However, the limitations of the currently available grafts have led researchers to investigate new materials to be used. In contrast, the periosteum performs endogenous bone regeneration as seen in physiological bone fracture repair, and transplanted periosteum has been used to induce bone regeneration in animal models. Although many of the introduced bone grafting materials have not been clinically evaluated, the use of the periosteum for bone regeneration has been documented in several clinical situations. Recently, the Micrograft concept, which was initially used to treat burn patients, where the tissue sample is cut into smaller pieces to expand the area that they can cover, has been applied to oral periosteal tissue for inclusion in scaffolds for bone defect healing, and was evaluated in various clinical bone augmentation procedures. This article first presents a brief overview of some of the commonly used bone grafts and their limitations. Next, it provides background information on the periosteum, including its histology and the cell biology and signaling involved in its osteogenic effect, periosteum-derived Micrografts, their osteogenic potential, and their recent clinical applications for bone augmentation.