title: Effects of applied DC electric field on ligament fibroblast migration and wound healing.
abstract: Applied electric fields (static and pulsing) are widely used in orthopedic practices to treat nonunions and spine fusions and have been shown to improve ligament healing in vivo. Few studies, however, have addressed the effect of electric fields (EFs) on ligament fibroblast migration and biosynthesis. In the current study, we applied static and pulsing direct current (DC) EFs to calf anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) fibroblasts. ACL fibroblasts demonstrated enhanced migration speed and perpendicular alignment to the applied EFs. The motility of ligament fibroblasts was further modulated on type I collagen. In addition, type I collagen expression increased in ACL fibroblasts after exposure to pulsing EFs. In vitro wound-healing studies showed inhibitory effects of static EFs, which were alleviated with a pulsing EF. Our results demonstrate that applied EFs augment ACL fibroblast migration and biosynthesis and provide potential mechanisms by which EFs may be used for enhancing ligament healing and repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA.
authors.forename: Pen-Hsiu Grace
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Helen H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Clark T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Steven B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Nicoll
authors.forename: Jeannette Chloë
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bulinski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*