Table 1.

Rabbit bone defect models for testing bone substitute biomaterials.

Defect site	Weight (kg)	Defect size	Substitute biomaterials
Tibiae	3–3.5	5 mm wide & 15 mm long [57], 6 mm in diameter [60], [61]; 5 mm in length [77]	β-TCP bone graft substitutes [57]; hydroxyapatite 60%/B-tricalcium phosphate 40% [60]; porous titanium granules [61]; β-TCP, type I collagen, & rhFGF-2 [77]
Femur	3–5	7 × 10 mm2 cylinder [59], 3 mm in diameter, 15 mm long [75]; 6 mm diameter × 5 mm cylinder [64], [68]	Injectable calcium phosphate bone substitute [59]; PLGA/TCP/icaritin [75]; magnesium alloy AZ91D [63]; micro/ma-MCP [64]; CMMS/rhBMP-2 [65]; magnesium calcium phosphate biocement [66]; magnesium scaffolds [68]; magnesium silicate (m-MS) [67]; poly(epsilon-caprolactone)–poly(ethyleneglycol)–poly(epsilon-caprolactone) composite scaffolds [67]
Calvaria	2.0–3	10 mm diameter × 1.2 mm [78]; 9 mm diameter [79]	Apatite-coated zirconia [78]; low-molecular-weight silk fibroin [79]
Ulna	3.5–4	12 mm segment of midshaft ular [80]; 15 mm segment of midshaft ular [13]	PLGA/tricalcium phosphate/icaritin/BMP-2 scaffolds [80]; BMP-2/PLGA-coated gelatin sponge [13]

PLGA = poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid); TCP = tricalcium phosphate.