Ecole centrale de Marseille 1 article published in JoVE Bioengineering An Efficient and Reproducible Protocol for Distraction Osteogenesis in a Rat Model Leading to a Functional Regenerated Femur Martine Pithioux*1,2, Flavy Roseren*1,2, Christian Jalain4, Franck launay1,3, Philippe Charpiot5, Patrick chabrand1,2, Sandrine Roffino1, Edouard Lamy1,6 1CNRS, ISM, Inst Movement Sci, Aix Marseille Univ, 2Sainte-Marguerite Hospital, Institute for Locomotion, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, APHM, 3Sainte-Marguerite Hospital, Institute for Locomotion, Department of Peadiatric Orthopaedics, APHM, 4Ecole centrale de Marseille, 5Faculté de Pharmacie, Laboratoire de Biochimie, 6Service Central de la Qualité et de l'Information Pharmaceutiques, APHM This study describes a reproducible and detailed protocol using a newly developed external fixator for distraction osteogenesis (DO) in a femoral rat model which permits physiological weight-bearing by the animal after removal of the external fixator.