Stem cells for tendon and ligament tissue engineering and regeneration.
Tendons and ligaments are frequently injured. Due to their relatively avascular nature, repair is slow and often incomplete. Stem cells offer a new approach to augment healing of native tissues, as well as providing materials to surgically replace injured structures that are beyond repair. Here we discuss the various roles of stem cells in natural repair processes compared to engineered tissues to assist healing or replace tissues.
Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, London, NW3 2QG, UK.
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Siddiqui
J M L
JM
Wong
Wasim S
WS
Khan
A
A
Hazlerigg
D000818:Animals; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008022:Ligaments / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000628:therapy; D013710:Tendons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*