ABSTRACT
Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belong to the transforming growth factor-β superfamily. BMPs play important roles in the migration of osteoblast progenitor cells, proliferation of mesenchymal cells, differentiation to chondrogenic or osteogenic cells, vascular invasion, and bone remodeling. BMPs may have a wide potential for clinical applications, including jaw reconstruction, orthognathic surgery, alveolar ridge augmentation, and the diagnosis of osteogenic lesions. We describe our studies and previous studies of BMP-2 and BMP-7 in this chapter.
