title: Strategies to engineer tendon/ligament-to-bone interface: Biomaterials, cells and growth factors.
abstract: Integration between tendon/ligament and bone occurs through a specialized tissue interface called enthesis. The complex and heterogeneous structure of the enthesis is essential to ensure smooth mechanical stress transfer between bone and soft tissues. Following injury, the interface is not regenerated, resulting in high rupture recurrence rates. Tissue engineering is a promising strategy for the regeneration of a functional enthesis. However, the complex structural and cellular composition of the native interface makes enthesis tissue engineering particularly challenging. Thus, it is likely that a combination of biomaterials and cells stimulated with appropriate biochemical and mechanical cues will be needed. The objective of this review is to describe the current state-of-the-art, challenges and future directions in the field of enthesis tissue engineering focusing on four key parameters: (1) scaffold and biomaterials, (2) cells, (3) growth factors and (4) mechanical stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Trauma Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81675 Munich, Germany. Electronic address: sonia.font@tum.de.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Font Tellado
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Trauma Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81675 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Elizabeth R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Balmayor
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Trauma Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81675 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Martijn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Griensven
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D051445:Fibrocartilage / Q000378:metabolism; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008022:Ligaments / Q000378:metabolism*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties; D013710:Tendons / Q000378:metabolism*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
keywords: Bone; Enthesis; Interface; Ligament; Tendon; Tissue engineering