Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2014 Dec 24. pii: S0169-409X(14)00307-X. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2014.11.023. [Epub ahead of print]

Progress in cell-based therapies for tendon repair.

Gaspar D¹, Spanoudes K¹, Holladay C¹, Pandit A¹, Zeugolis D².

Abstract

The last decade has seen significant developments in cell therapies, based on permanently differentiated, reprogrammed / engineered and stem cells, for tendon injuries and degenerative conditions. In vitro studies assess the influence of biophysical, biochemical and biological signals on tenogenic phenotype maintenance and / or differentiation towards tenogenic lineage. However, the ideal culture environment has yet to be identified due to the lack of standardised experimental setup and readout system. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and tenocytes / dermal fibroblasts appear to be the cell populations of choice for clinical translation in equine and human patients respectively based on circumstantial, rather than on hard evidence. Collaborative, inter- and multi- disciplinary efforts are expected to provide clinically relevant and commercially viable cell-based therapies for tendon repair and regeneration in the years to come.