Method of using recombinant osteogenic protein to repair bone or cartilage defects

A method of inducing local endochondral bone or cartilage formation at a locus in a mammal, the method comprising the step of:

• applying to the locus a recombinantly produced osteogenic protein comprising a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence sufficiently duplicative of amino acids 335-431 of SEQ ID NO:1, amino acids 334-430 of SEQ ID NO:24, amino acids 303-399 of SEQ ID NO:26, or amino acids 306-402 of SEQ ID NO:28 such that the osteogenic protein is capable of inducing local endochondral bone and cartilage formation in a mammal.

A method of inducing local endochondral bone or cartilage formation at a locus in a mammal, the method comprising the step of:

• applying to the locus a recombinantly produced osteogenic protein capable of inducing local endochondral bone and cartilage formation in a mammal and comprising a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid capable of hybridizing to the nucleotide sequence defined by base pairs 1051 to 1341 of SEQ ID NO:1.

A method of producing a secreted, recombinantly produced osteogenic protein, the method comprising the step of:

• introducing into a mammalian cell a recombinant nucleic acid encoding an osteogenic protein, wherein the osteogenic protein comprises a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence sufficiently duplicative of amino acids 335 to 431 of SEQ ID NO:1 such that the osteogenic protein is capable of inducing local endochondral bone and cartilage formation when present in a mammal, the polypeptide comprising a signal peptide sequence to direct secretion of the osteogenic protein from the cell, thereby to produce secreted osteogenic protein.

A biocompatible, biodegradable matrix defining pores of a dimension to permit progenitor cell migration into the matrix, the matrix comprising secreted osteogenic protein produced by the method of claim wherein the secreted osteogenic protein comprises a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence at least 74% identical to amino acids 335 to 431 of SEQ ID NO:1.