We have isolated pluripotent mesenchymal progenitor cells in large numbers from liposuction aspirates (processed lipoaspirate cells or PLAs). This study examines the osteogenic potential of PLAs and bone marrow aspirate cells (BMAs), when exposed to either recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 (rh-BMP-2) or adenovirus containing BMP-2 cDNA (Ad-BMP-2).