Osteochondrogenesis of Free Periosteal Grafts in the Rabbit Iliac Crest

The influence of the bone marrow, cortical bone and apophyseal cartilage of the iliac crest on osteochondrogenesis from free autogenous periosteal grafts was studied histologically in 8-week-old rabbits. Tibial periosteum was transplanted around the iliac crest, from which the periosteum had been removed from the inner side, periosteum and cortical bone in an area on the outer side and perichondrium from the apophyseal cartilage. Most bone formation occurred in the area with periosteum in contact with the bone marrow of the cancellous bone. By means of an isolating Nucleopore filter, it was revealed that the most vigorous of this bone formation originated from the periosteal graft. Further, it was noted that in the series with the Nucleopore filter, bone formation was slower than in the series without the filter, suggesting some inductive factors. No bone formation occurred in the apophyseal area.