Effects of different growth factors on new bone formation: A systematic review

Using different osteogenic growth factors, which is still under investigation, is a favorable method for bone regeneration. This systematic review is aimed at evaluating the effects of different growth factors and their carriers on osteogenesis.

Electronic databases (Medline, EMBase and Cochrane) were searched by the authors for articles published from 1999 to April 2010. Clinical and animal studies evaluating bone formation by applying a specific growth factor and the related carrier were included in this investigation. Obtained data were organized in a table and evaluated through a qualitative analysis.

Sixty-three studies most of which evaluated the effects of BMP-2 osteogenesis in different models were included in this study. Totally, twenty-five carriers were applied with different growth factors in the experiments. Among these carriers, poly lactic– co glycolic acid (PLGA), hydroxy apatite/tricalcium phosphate/absorbable collagen sponge (HA/TCP/ACS) and BioOss were the most frequently used carriers with the growth factors in bone regeneration studies.

The current evidence, although not strong enough, confirms that BMP-2 has more favorable results in osteogenesis compared with other factors. The carrier scaffold, methods of measurement (histologic or radiographic), type of animal, defect diameter and the length of follow-up are the variables that should be matched before reaching definite results for the effect of growth factors in bone regeneration.