Objective To access the possibil ity of CPC as a suitable scaffold for tissue engineering artificial rib by morphologic observation, adhesion experiments and cellar prol iferation experiments. Methods The 5 mm × 5 mm × 5 mm CPCs were prepared and the structure and components of CPC were compared with those of the normal human bone by micro-CT and scanning electron microscope. Bone marrow aspirates were harvested from the young pig and monuclear cells were separated. The first passage cells were collected and re-suspended in the culture media at a density of 6 × 105 cells/mL. There was 150 μL suspension which was incoluated on the CPC, and then cells were recollected and counted 4, 12 and 24 hours after inoculation. MTT was used to examine the growth condition of BMSCs on the surface of CPC. The scanning electron microscope was used to observe the CPC scaffold 7 days after inoculation, and comparison was made with CPC and the normal human bone. Results The adhesion rate of CPC was 28.00% ± 0.98%, 46.70% ± 1.14% and 48.50% ± 1.18%, respectively 4, 12 and 24 hours after compound culture. The prol iferation rate of CPC was 1.103 ± 0.214, 1.557 ± 0.322, 1.920 ± 0.178, 2.564 ± 0.226, 2.951 ± 0.415 and 3.831 ± 0.328, respectively 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 days after compound culture, with an obvious rising trend. The micro-CT demonstrated that the content of hydroxyapatite of porous phosphate calcium was (1 101.222 8 ± 0.618 4) mg/ ccm while that of the normal human bone was (1 072.552 3 ± 0.744 2) mg/ccm, and the porosity of porous phosphate calcium was 70.26% ± 0.45% while that of the normal human bone was 72.82% ± 0.51%, and there was no significant difference (P gt; 0.05). The experiment of cell prol iferation showed that the cell which was cultivated with porous phosphate calcium prol iferated rapidly. Through the inverted phase contrast microscope, it was found that the cells grew well and there was no dead cell, which indicated that the material had no toxicity. The rate of the cell adhesion to CPC was less than 50%. Conclusion The structure and components of CPC are similar to those of the normal human bone, and BMSCs grow well on the surface of it, so it is asuitable scaffold for tissue engineering artificial rib. However, the cell adhesion abil ity is to be further improved.