Steroidal　saponins　are　the　major　pharmacological　constituents　of　ophiopogon　japonicus　which　have　been　used　to　treat　bone　and　joint　diseases,　nerve　damage,　and　hematischesis　for　hundreds　of　years　in　China.　The　objective　of　this　study　was　to　investigate　the　therapeutic　potential　of　collagen　microspheres　loaded　with　steroidal　saponins　as　an　inducer　factor　for　skeletal　defects　using　an　in　vitro　model.　The　collagen-steroidal　saponins　composite　microspheres　were　prepared　using　a　water-in-oil-in-　water　emulsion/solvent　evaporation　technique.　SEM　micrographs　showed　that　spherical　particles　with　diameters　of　tens　micrometers　were　successfully　produced.　Release　kinetics　was　characterized　by　an　initial　burst　release　reducing　to　a　linear　release　over　the　first　8　days.　MTT　assay　showed　that　the　cells　attached　on　composite　microspheres　were　more　in　comparison　with　pure　collagen　microspheres　and　stimulated　significantly　higher　level　of　alkaline　phosphatase　than　the　counterpart.　Moreover,　composite　microspheres　possess　osteoinductive　activities　as　demonstrated　by　the　ability　to　induce　cells　to　commit　to　crystals　in　contact　coculture.　The　present　finding　suggests　that　sustained　delivery　of　steroidal　saponins　may　be　very　effective　in　improving　the　osteogenic　potential　of　collagen　microspheres　and　the　composite　microspheres　are　useful　for　tissue-engineering　applications.