Platelet-rich Plasma and Platelet-rich fibrin in human cell culture

ObjectivesThe clinical use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for preprosthetic surgery has been a matter of controversy until now. Only recently, a new blood preparation has been developed which results in platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). The objective of the present investigation was to examine the growth factor release from PRP and PRF in vitro.Study designWhole blood samples from healthy participants (n = 10) were drawn to generate PRP and PRF. Human osteoblasts (O), human fibroblasts (F), and human osteoblast–derived osteosarcoma cells (Saos-2) were used for the cell culture. Cells of each cell line were cultivated, and PRP- or PRF-preparations added for ten days. The drawn medium was pooled and the quantities of growth factors (platelet-derived growth factor isomers AB and BB, insulin-like growth factor I, and transforming growth factor (TGF) isomers β1 and β2) analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsIn osteoblast and Saos-2 cultures, cytokine concentrations were significantly higher for PRP than for PRF (P < .05). In fibroblast cultures, results were the same with the exception of TGF-β2 (P < .05).ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that PRP application in cell cultures leads to higher levels of growth factors than PRF application.