New frontiers of tendon augmentation technology in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine: a concise literature review

Abstract

Tissue banking programs fail to meet the demand for human organs and tissues for transplantation into patients with congenital defects, injuries, chronic diseases, and end-stage organ failure. Tendons and ligaments are among the most frequently ruptured and/or worn-out body tissues owing to their frequent use, especially in athletes and the elderly population. Surgical repair has remained the mainstay management approach, regardless of scarring and adhesion formation during healing, which then compromises the gliding motion of the joint and reduces the quality of life for patients. Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine approaches, such as tendon augmentation, are promising as they may provide superior outcomes by inducing host-tissue ingrowth and tendon regeneration during degradation, thereby decreasing failure rates and morbidity. However, to date, tendon tissue engineering and regeneration research has been limited and lacks the much-needed human clinical evidence to translate most laboratory augmentation approaches to therapeutics. This narrative review summarizes the current treatment options for various tendon pathologies, future of tendon augmentation, cell therapy, gene therapy, 3D/4D bioprinting, scaffolding, and cell signals.

An overview of the material science and knowledge of nanomedicine, bioscaffolds, and tissue engineering for tendon restoration

“…New techniques depending on growth agents and stem cell transplantation have been developed to address these issues ( Makuku et al, 2022 ; Yuan et al, 2023 ). Various preclinical studies demonstrate the capacity of a number of development factors to enhance the regenerative reaction and reduce scar development ( Makuku et al, 2022 ; Yuan et al, 2023 ).…”

“…New techniques depending on growth agents and stem cell transplantation have been developed to address these issues ( Makuku et al, 2022 ; Yuan et al, 2023 ). Various preclinical studies demonstrate the capacity of a number of development factors to enhance the regenerative reaction and reduce scar development ( Makuku et al, 2022 ; Yuan et al, 2023 ). In addition to stem cell transplantation and growth factors, novel tendon injury investigations concentrate on the creation of nano-material scaffolds ( Zhu et al, 2022 ).…”