The current study used an ex vivo [embryonic day (E)18] chick femur defect model to examine the bone regenerative capacity of implanted 3-dimensional (3D) skeletal-endothelial cell constructs. Human bone marrow stromal cell (HBMSC) and HUVEC spheroids were implanted within a bone defect site to determine the osteogenic potential of the skeletal-endothelial cell unit. Cells were pelleted as co- or monocell spheroids and placed within 1-mm-drill defects in the mid-diaphysis of E18 chick femurs and cultured organotypically for 10 d. Micro-computed tomography analysis revealed significantly ( P = 0.0001) increased levels of bone volume (BV) and BV/tissue volume ratio in all cell-pellet groups compared with the sham defect group. The highest increase was seen in BV in femurs containing the HUVEC and HBMSC monocell constructs. Type II collagen expression was particularly pronounced within the cell spheres containing HBMSCs and HUVECs, and CD31-positive cell clusters were prominent within HUVEC-implanted defects. These studies demonstrate the importance of the 3D osteogenic-endothelial niche interaction in bone regeneration. Elucidating the component cell interactions in the osteogenic-vascular niche and the role of exogenous factors in driving these osteogenic processes will aid the development of better bone reparative strategies.-Inglis, S., Kanczler, J. M., Oreffo, R. O. C. 3D human bone marrow stromal and endothelial cell spheres promote bone healing in an osteogenic niche.
Keywords: bone drill defect; cell construct; coculture; organotypic culture.