title: Progress in cell-based therapies for tendon repair.
abstract: The last decade has seen significant developments in cell therapies, based on permanently differentiated, reprogrammed or engineered stem cells, for tendon injuries and degenerative conditions. In vitro studies assess the influence of biophysical, biochemical and biological signals on tenogenic phenotype maintenance and/or differentiation towards tenogenic lineage. However, the ideal culture environment has yet to be identified due to the lack of standardised experimental setup and readout system. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and tenocytes/dermal fibroblasts appear to be the cell populations of choice for clinical translation in equine and human patients respectively based on circumstantial, rather than on hard evidence. Collaborative, inter- and multi-disciplinary efforts are expected to provide clinically relevant and commercially viable cell-based therapies for tendon repair and regeneration in the years to come.
authors.affiliation: Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials (NFB), National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway), Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gaspar
authors.affiliation: Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials (NFB), National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway), Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Kyriakos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spanoudes
authors.affiliation: Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials (NFB), National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway), Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holladay
authors.affiliation: Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials (NFB), National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway), Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Abhay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pandit
authors.affiliation: Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials (NFB), National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway), Galway, Ireland. Electronic address: dimitrios.zeugolis@nuigalway.ie.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zeugolis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary; D006801:Humans; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D013710:Tendons / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Cell-based therapy; Clinical trials; In vitro microenvironment modulators; Permanently differentiated cells; Reprogrammed/engineered cells; Small/large animal preclinical models; Stem cells; Tendon repair and regeneration