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MDPI, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 12(20), p. 3002, 2019

DOI: 10.3390/ijms20123002

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Mesenchymal Stem Cells Empowering Tendon Regenerative Therapies

Journal article published in 2019 by Raquel Costa-Almeida ORCID, Isabel Calejo, Manuela E. Gomes
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

Tendon tissues have limited healing capacity. The incidence of tendon injuries and the unsatisfactory functional outcomes of tendon repair are driving the search for alternative therapeutic approaches envisioning tendon regeneration. Cellular therapies aim at delivering adequate, regeneration-competent cell types to the injured tendon and toward ultimately promoting its reconstruction and recovery of functionality. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) either obtained from tendons or from non-tendon sources, like bone marrow (BM-MSCs) or adipose tissue (ASCs), have been receiving increasing attention over the years toward enhancing tendon healing. Evidences from in vitro and in vivo studies suggest MSCs can contribute to accelerate and improve the quality of tendon healing. Nonetheless, the exact mechanisms underlying these repair events are yet to be fully elucidated. This review provides an overview of the main challenges in the field of cell-based regenerative therapies, discussing the role of MSCs in boosting tendon regeneration, particularly through their capacity to enhance the tenogenic properties of tendon resident cells.