Comparison of equine tendon-, muscle-, and bone marrow-derived cells cultured on tendon matrix.
OBJECTIVE
To compare viability and biosynthetic capacities of cells isolated from equine tendon, muscle, and bone marrow grown on autogenous tendon matrix.


METHODS
Cells from 4 young adult horses.


METHODS
Cells were isolated, expanded, and cultured on autogenous cell-free tendon matrix for 7 days. Samples were analyzed for cell viability, proteoglycan synthesis, collagen synthesis, and mRNA expression of collagen type I, collagen type III, and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP).


RESULTS
Tendon- and muscle-derived cells required less time to reach confluence (approx 2 weeks) than did bone marrow-derived cells (approx 3 to 4 weeks); there were fewer bone marrow-derived cells at confluence than the other 2 cell types. More tendon- and muscle-derived cells were attached to matrices after 7 days than were bone marrow-derived cells. Collagen and proteoglycan synthesis by tendon- and muscle-derived cells was significantly greater than synthesis by bone marrow-derived cells. On a per-cell basis, tendon-derived cells had more collagen synthesis, although this was not significant. Collagen type I mRNA expression was similar among groups. Tendon-derived cells expressed the highest amounts of collagen type III and COMP mRNAs, although the difference for COMP was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Tendon- and muscle-derived cells yielded greater cell culture numbers in shorter time and, on a per-cell basis, had comparable biosynthetic assays to bone marrow-derived cells. More in vitro experiments with higher numbers may determine whether tendon-derived cells are a useful resource for tendon healing.
Stewart
Allison A
AA
Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802, USA.
Barrett
Jennifer G
JG
Byron
Christopher R
CR
Yates
Angela C
AC
Durgam
Sushmitha S
SS
Evans
Richard B
RB
Stewart
Matthew C
MC
D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary*; D003470:Culture Media; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology*; D013710:Tendons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*
D003470:Culture Media