Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Influence Early Tendon-Healing in a Rabbit Achilles Tendon Model

Abstract

Intratendinous cell therapy with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells following primary tendon repair can improve histological and biomechanical parameters in the early stages of tendon-healing.

Biologic approaches to enhance rotator cuff healing after injury

“…2,8,27,61 BMSCs contracted onto pretensioned suture resulted in greater loadrelated structural and material properties when used to repair Achilles tendon defects. 61 Similar improvements were seen when a BMSC-collagen mixture was implanted into surgically created patellar tendon defects.…”

“…The authors conclude that improvements in primary tendon repair with intratendinous cell therapy are restricted to the early stages of tendon healing. 8 Two different studies recently used a rat Achilles tendon model to compare MSC therapy versus other cell therapy, with important results. In one report, the Achilles was transected, including the enthesis, before surgical repair without cell injection, with chondrocyte injection, or with MSC injection.…”

Tendon Derived Stem Cells Promote Platelet-Rich Plasma Healing in Collagenase-Induced Rat Achilles Tendinopathy

“…A wide range of donor cell types have been used to promote tendon healing in pre-clinical studies, including bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) [3,4,5], periodontal ligament or gingival tissue [6], dermal fibroblast [7], tenocytes [8], peripheral blood-derived MSCs [9,10] and embryonic stem cell derived MSCs (ESC-MSCs) [11]. Each cell source has its limitations including inferior proliferation, differentiation and collagen production abilities of tenocytes [12,13,14,15], risk of teratoma formation of ESCs as well as risk of ectopic bone [3] and tumor induction [16] of BMSCs when using a certain scaffold.…”

Application of stem cells in orthopaedic conditions: what is the current evidence?

“…Experimental laboratory studies on animal models using MSCs embedded on various types of scaffolds have returned some encouraging but inhomogenous results. Chong et al 40 used MSCs with fibrin sealant in a rabbit Achilles tendon model. In their study, no differences between fibrin and fibrin with MSC could be shown histologically.…”