title: Mechanical stretch-induced changes in cell morphology and mRNA expression of tendon/ligament-associated genes in rat bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells.
abstract: It has been demonstrated that mechanical stimulation plays a vital role in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. However, little is known about the effects of mechanical stress on tendon/ligament development from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Here, using a custom-made cell-stretching device, we studied the effects of mechanical stretching on the cell morphology and mRNA expression of several key genes modulating tendon/ligament genesis. We demonstrate that bone-marrow-derived rat MSCs (rMSCs), when subjected to cyclic uniaxial stretching, express obvious detectable mRNAs for tenascin C and scleraxis, a unique maker of tendon/ligament formation, and significantly increased levels of type I collagen and type III collagen mRNAs. The stretched cells also orient at approximately 65 degrees with respect to the stretching direction and exhibit a more fibroblast-like morphology. Collectively, these results indicate that mechanical stretching facilitates the directed differentiation of rMSCs into tendon/ligament fibroblasts, which has potential implications for the tissue engineering of bioartificial tendons and ligaments.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, People's Republic of China. song@cqu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Guanbin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Baiyao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ju
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D048430:Cell Shape; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008022:Ligaments / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013710:Tendons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger