Various attempts to obtain tissue culture of bone have been reported, but thus far there has been no convincing proof or satisfactory demonstration of the growth of bone outside the body. These failures are not surprising when one thinks of the structure of bone with its normal intricate method of growth and repair in response to some physiologic stimulus.
In seeking for a substitute for an artificial culture medium, it was thought that a joint cavity would serve the purpose and act as natural incubator for bone tissue. A joint cavity was selected because it was thought that the synovial fluid would serve as a source of nourishment for young growing cartilage and osteid tissue. It was also expected that the implanted segments of bone would produce a synovitis and that the excess of fluid, as well as the motion of the joint, would tend to keep the pieces of