Abstract: A method of screening potential therapeutic substances that may be useful in the treatment of osteoporosis is provided herein utilizing primary osteoblast precursor cell cultures to determine the mitogenic effect of the tested agents. This method comprises preparation of the primary cultures from osteoporotic patients for the expression of several intracellular proteins in early and late osteoblast differentiation phases, expression of other proteins involved in matrix synthesis, and quantitative analysis of the cellular proliferation rate. The expression of such intracellular proteins and cell proliferation in the cultures derived from osteoporotic patients are quantitatively compared to primary osteoblast cell cultures from non-osteoporotic patients that are standardized for the same approximate age and sex.

Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical set of instruments used to treat surfaces of cartilage, bone or body tissue, which set comprises a surgical instrument 1 and a guide device 2 to guide said instrument and/or a tissue applicator 3 for inserting tissue on a defect to be covered. In the meaning of the present invention, the surgical instrument, which can be moved in a circular, elliptical or another way with the aid of the guide device 2 according to the invention, is understood to be a shaver, a scalpel, a drill, a curette, a syringe, or a probe. Depending on the surgical problem, however, other instruments for cutting, milling, punching, sewing, or setting bores in cartilage, bone or body tissue, or injecting operating aids such as glues may also be moved in a specific surface profile using the guide device of the invention.

Abstract: A method of screening potential therapeutic substances that may be useful in the treatment of osteoporosis is provided herein utilizing primary osteoblast precursor cell cultures to determine the mitogenic effect of the tested agents. This method comprises preparation of the primary cultures from osteoporotic patients for the expression of several intracellular proteins in early and late osteoclast differentiation phases, expression of other proteins involved in matrix synthesis, and quantitative analysis of the cellular proliferation rate. The expression of such intracellular proteins and cell proliferation in the cultures derived from osteoporotic patients are quantitatively compared to primary osteoblast cell cultures from non-osteoporotic patients that are standardized for the same approximate age and sex.