Fig. 3
X-ray examination. (Radiohraphic and CT examination). a Sequential changes in the width of the regenerated bone over time. The changes in the width of the regenerated bone (mean ± SD) over time are shown. The width of the regenerated bone is significantly larger in the groups treated with BMSCs than that in the groups treated with rhBMP-2 alone. *P < 0.05 vs 560 μg/0 cells or vs. 140 μg/0 cells. †P < 0.01 vs. 560 μg/0 cells or vs. 140 μg/0 cells. b Changes in the bone mineral density over time. The changes in the regenerated bone mineral density (mean ± SD) over time are shown. The inclusion of 107 and 105 BMSCs is able to prevent the transient decrease in the bone mineral density observed at 4 weeks after surgery for the high dose of rhBMP-2 without cells. The regenerated bone mineral densities in the 560 μg with 107 and 105 cells groups are significantly larger than that in the 560 μg/0 cells group at 4 weeks. No significant differences in the bone mineral density are found among the groups treated with 140 μg of rhBMP-2. *P < 0.05 vs. 560 μg/0 cells. c Non-uniformity index values of the bone mineral density in the regenerated bone. The changes in the non-uniformity index of the regenerated bone mineral density (mean ± SD) over time are shown. The non-uniformity index in the groups transplanted with both BMSCs and rhBMP-2 are significantly lower than those in the groups treated with rhBMP-2 alone at 4 weeks. The new bone in the 560 μg with 107 and 105 cells groups and in the 140 μg with 107 and 105 cells groups is more uniform than that in their respective control groups with 0 cells. *P < 0.05; †P < 0.01