Preparation of beta-TCP/MSCs hybrid: The porous
beta-TCP blocks were soaked in a cell suspension containing
the standard medium using a low pressure system
at 100mmHg for 1min and incubated for 3 hours at
37°C.19 The cells loaded into the beta-TCP blocks were
observed using a scanning electron microscope
(SEM, Hitachi, S-4500, Japan). They were confirmed to
be attached to the pore surface of the beta-TCP
(Figure 1). Just 3 hours after loading, each beta-
TCP/MSCs hybrid was implanted at the operative
sites in the macaque as described below.