title: Tendon regeneration with a novel tendon hydrogel: in vitro effects of platelet-rich plasma on rat adipose-derived stem cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tendon hydrogel is a promising new injectable substance that has been shown to improve repair strength after tendon injury. This study assesses the capacity of platelet-rich plasma to stimulate proliferation and migration of rat adipose-derived stem cells in tendon hydrogel in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  To assess proliferation, adipose-derived stem cells were exposed to plasma, plasma supplemented with growth factors, or platelet-rich plasma in culture medium and tendon hydrogel. To assess migration, adipose-derived stem cells were plated onto tendon hydrogel -coated wells and covered with medium containing plasma, plasma supplemented with growth factors, platelet-rich plasma, or bovine serum albumin. Migration from cell-seeded to cell-free zones was assessed at 12-hour intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Platelet-rich plasma augmented proliferation to a greater extent compared with plasma and plasma supplemented with growth factors (10%: optical density, 1.18 versus 0.75 versus 0.98, respectively). Platelet-rich plasma was superior to plasma in tendon hydrogel (10%: optical density, 1.19 versus 0.85) but did not augment proliferation to the extent that plasma supplemented with growth factors did (10%: optical density, 1.19 versus 1.56). Platelet-rich plasma enhanced the migration of adipose-derived stem cells compared with serum-free medium (bovine serum albumin) (36 hours: platelet-rich plasma, 1.88; plasma, 1.51; plasma plus growth factor, 1.80; bovine serum albumin, 1.43).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tendon healing is mediated by migration of cells to the injured area and cellular proliferation at that site. Tendon hydrogel supplemented with platelet-rich plasma stimulates these processes. Future studies will evaluate this combination's ability to stimulate healing in chronic tendon injuries in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Stanford and Palo Alto, Calif. From the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Stanford University Medical Center; and the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System.
authors.forename: Christopher S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.forename: Rory
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McGoldrick
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Hung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pham
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D023421:Models, Animal; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012016:Reference Values; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013710:Tendons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate