BACKGROUND CONTEXT There is a growing clinical need to create implants with material properties that promote accelerated osseointegration and reduced recovery time for interbody fusion healing. We have shown that machined Ti-based implants possessing biomimetic surface topographies can direct osteoblast differentiation of multipotent bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) in vitro and improve osseointegration in vivo in both animals and in humans following dental implant placement. PURPOSE This study examined the hypothesis that MSCs grown on nanotextured microstructured Ti6Al4V surfaces produce factors that regulate osteogenic differentiation of MSCs not on the surface. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Not applicable. PATIENT SAMPLE Not applicable. OUTCOME MEASURES Not applicable. METHODS Ti6Al4V discs were grit-blasted and acid-etched, producing complex topography at the macro/micro/nanoscale (MMN; Medtronic/Titan Spine). All cultures were grown in MSC growth media (GM). Co-cultures were used to examine paracrine effects of factors released by human MSCs cultured on MMN surfaces. MSCs were grown on tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) or MMN discs in 24-well plates. At 24 hours, inserts containing MSCs were placed into the wells and cultured in GM for 7 days, then moved to fresh GM for 24 hours. Alternatively, MSCs were cultured on MMN surfaces and TCPS for 7 days. Inserts with MSCs were added to the wells on day 7 and the co-culture was incubated for another 4 days. Inserts were moved on day 11 and cultured for 24 hours. In each experiment, a group of MMN discs received GM+15µg/mL BMP2 blocking antibody (abBMP2). BMP2, OPN, OPG, OCN, IL6, and VEGF-A in the conditioned media (CM) were assayed by ELISA and normalized to DNA. Athymic mice were divided into 3 groups: inactive demineralized bone matrix (iDBM), iDBM+rhBMP2 (MMN-CM concentration), and iDBM+MMN-CM proteins. MMN-CM was derived by culturing MSCs on MMN surfaces for 10 days and lyophilizing the CM from days 5-10. Gel capsules were implanted bilaterally into intramuscular pockets created in the hind limbs (N=8 capsules/group). Legs were harvested at 35 days. Bone formation was assessed by micro-CT and histomorphometry. RESULTS MSCs grown directly on MMN discs and on inserts above MMN discs increased production of OCN, OPN, BMP2, and VEGF-A compared to MSCs above TCPS, MMN discs+abBMP2, and insert control. Blocking BMP2 after surface mediated differentiation reduced OCN, OPN, and BMP2 compared to MMN groups. Total DNA content was increased on MMN discs+abBMP2. Micro-CT revealed greater mineralized tissue in MMN-CM groups compared to iDBM and iDBM+BMP2. There was more live bone in the MMN-CM group compared to iDBM. CONCLUSIONS MSCs cultured on nanoroughened microtextured biomimetic Ti6Al4V surfaces differentiate and produce local factors that can induce MSC differentiation above the surface through paracrine signaling factors such as BMP2. Reducing BMP2 function via abBMP2 inhibits MSC differentiation in contact with the surface and above the surface, indicating that BMP2 produced by cells on the surface is involved in the surface-dependent osteogenic differentiation process. Factors produced by the MSCs increased bone formation in a mouse model compared to control and BMP2-only treatment groups, suggesting that the engineered biomimetic surface topography may improve bone formation. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS Interbody Fusion Implants (Approved for this indication)