| abstract |
The present invention provides a synthetic, poorly-crystalline apatitic (PCA) calcium phosphate material seeded with cells. Preferably, the cells are tissue-forming or tissue-degrading cells. The compositions provided by the present invention are useful for a variety of applications, including in vivo and in vitro tissue growth (preferably bone or cartilage), osseous augmentation, and methods of diagnosing disease states by assaying tissue-forming potential of cells isolated from a host. The invention also provides in vitro cell culture systems and cell encapsulation matrices. |