title: Development of a refined tenocyte differentiation culture technique for tendon tissue engineering.
abstract: We have established that human tenocytes can differentiate in the absence of exogenous fetal bovine serum (FBS) but in the presence of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3). The extent of tenocyte differentiation was assessed by examining cell survival, collagen synthesis, cell morphology and expression of tenocyte differentiation markers such as scleraxis (Scx), tenomodulin (Tnmd), collagen type I (Col-I) and decorin (Dcn). Our results indicate that 50 ng/ml IGF-1 and 10 ng/ml TGF-β3 (in the absence of FBS) were capable of maintaining in vitro human tenocyte survival in 14-day cultures. The extent of collagen synthesis and messenger ribonucleic acid expression of Scx, Tnmd, Col-I and Dcn were significantly upregulated in response to IGF-1 and TGF-β3. These findings have shown for the first time that human tenocytes can be maintained in long-term culture, in serum-free conditions, making this approach a suitable one for the purpose of tendon tissue engineering.
authors.affiliation: General Surgery Department, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China. yiweiqiu@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Yiwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yaonan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Raj
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rout
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: Liwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhidao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Afsie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sabokbar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D002417:Cattle; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013710:Tendons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D003094:Collagen