Role of myeloid early endothelial progenitor cells in bone formation and osteoclast differentiation in tissue construct based on hydroxyapatite poly(ester-urethane) scaffolds.

Engineering of a vascularized bone construct is a highly challenging task which needs to take into account the impact of different components on the bone regeneration process. Bone repair influencing factors in such constructs range from the material properties and scaffold design, to the interaction of different cell types contributing to bone formation and remodeling or neovascularization, respectively. In this context, early endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), mononuclear cells isolated from the peripheral blood, express the endothelial marker CD31 but also a series of myeloid markers and have been shown to support the formation of vessel-like structures.