28/05/2026
Bone is one of the most vascularized tissues in the body, yet there’s a lack of in vitro systems that accurately mimic both bone formation and vascularization. How do you engineer a model that incorporates both processes without sacrificing cell viability or differentiation quality?
In a study published in Advanced Materials Interfaces, Teixeira et al. developed small pre-vascularized spheroids (around 250 cells each) using human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) or human periosteum-derived stem cells (hPDCs), co-cultured with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).
The study showed that both hMSC and hPDC spheroids formed stable structures and underwent osteogenic differentiation while supporting endothelial patterning seen in native vascular structures. The spheroids lacked necrotic cores, which are often observed in large spheroids. By working with low-cell-density, small-diameter spheroids, the team developed viable, structurally stable spheroids with functional features relevant to bone models.
Studies using well-characterized human primary cells, such as our hMSCs, can provide building blocks for more biomimetic bone tissue models and future 3D bioprinting applications.
Teixeira FC, Joris V, van Griensven M, et al. Pre-vascularized hMSC and hPDC spheroids as building block units for bone tissue engineering. Advanced Materials Interfaces. 2026;13:e00804. https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0vvg_z0
