title: Efficacy of a mesenchymal stem cell loaded surgical mesh for tendon repair in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a composite surgical mesh for delivery of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in tendon repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  The MSC-loaded mesh composed of a piece of conventional surgical mesh and a layer of scaffold, which supported MSC-embedded alginate gel. A 3-mm defect was surgically created at the Achilles tendon-gastrocnemius/soleus junction in 30 rats. The tendon defects were repaired with either 1) MSC-loaded mesh; or 2) surgical mesh only; or 3) routine surgical suture. Repaired tendons were harvested at days 6 and 14 for histology, which was scored on the bases of collagen organization, vascularity and cellularity, and immunohistochemisty of types I and III collagen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with the other two repair types, at day 6, the MSC-loaded mesh significantly improved the quality of the repaired tendons with dense and parallel collagen bundles, reduced vascularity and increased type I collagen. At day 14, the MSC-loaded mesh repaired tendons had better collagen formation and organization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MSC-loaded mesh enhanced early tendon healing, particularly the quality of collagen bundles. Application of the MSC-loaded mesh, as a new device and MSC delivery vehicle, may benefit to early functional recovery of the ruptured tendon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, 3333 North Calvert Street, Johnston Professional Building, Suite 400, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA. lewschon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lew C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Schon
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thorpe
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nadaud
authors.forename: Jooyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Molligan
authors.forename: Zijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds