Overview of Fracture Repair

Abstract

Migration, adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts, osteoclasts, chondroblasts,fi broblasts and endothelial cells characterize the cellular activities suspended within a collagenous matrix during fracturerepair. Throughout life fracture repair is a dynamic process – orchestrated events directing the inflammatory response, chondrogenesis,osteogenesis and remodeling. These steps may involve many differently expressed genes. Fracture healing is also closely alignedwith neo-angiogenesis. Matrix degradation and angiogenesis are concurrent processes supportive of endochondral bone formation.This chapter will focus on the biological hierarchy of bone and its capacity for repair. The cell and molecular biology offracture repair will be considered as a context for proposed therapies for bone regeneration.