State-of the-art and future perspective in co-culture systems for tendon engineering
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: • In tendon engineering, tenocytes and mesenchymal stromal cells are the most studied cell populations. • Tenocytes rapidly lose their phenotype and function in vitro, whilst naïve mesenchymal stromal cells are often associated with ectopic bone formation in vivo. • Priming mesenchymal stromal cells towards tenogenic lineage via co-culture with tenocytes may be a valuable alternative. • Data obtained to-date clearly demonstrate the potential of the approach, but detailed investigations are needed. Tendon is a connective tissue that links bone to muscle, allowing for maintenance of skeleton posture, joint movement, energy storage and transmission of muscle force to bone. Tendon is a hypocellular and hypovascular tissue of poor self-regeneration capacity. Current surgical treatments are of limited success, frequently resulting in reinjury. Upcoming cell therapies are primarily based on tenocytes, a cell population of limited self-renewal capacity in vitro or mesenchymal stromal cells, a cell population prone to ectopic bone formation in vivo. Over the years mono- or multi- factorial cell culture technologies have failed to effectively maintain tenocyte phenotype in culture during expansion or to prime mesenchymal stromal cells towards tenogenic lineage prior to implantation. Upon these limitations the concept of co-culture was conceived. Here, we comprehensively review and discuss tenogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells through direct or indirect culture with tenocytes in an attempt to generate a tenocyte or a tendon-like cell population for regenerative medicine purposes.
Source: Biomaterials and Biosystems
Language: English
Subfield: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,340
OpenAlex ID: W4408345203