Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, PR China; Department of Plastic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, 310016, Zhejiang Province, PR China.
The Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, Central South University, Hunan Province, PR China.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2023 Oct 20;678:90-96. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.08.007. Epub 2023 Aug 17.
Tendon injuries, commonly associated with sports activities, pose significant challenges in terms of treatment and recovery due to limited tendon regeneration and the formation of proliferative scars. Stem cell-based therapy has shown promising application, but there are still challenges. Physical and biological cues are instrumental in guiding stem cell differentiation and maturation. This study focuses on exploring the effects of matrix biomechanics on tendon stem/progenitor cells (TSPCs) differentiation. We fabricated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates with different elastic modulus to mimic the mechanical characteristics of healthy tendons. A tissue-engineered culture system was developed for tenogenesis, and pre-differentiated tissue-engineered tendons were transplanted in vivo to assess their efficacy in regenerating patella tendon injuries. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the biomechanical stimuli activated the integrin-αm to enhance the tenogenesis capacity of TSPCs. Our findings highlight the importance of biomechanics in tendon tissue engineering and provide a novel perspective for enhancing tendon regeneration.
肌腱损伤通常与运动活动有关,由于肌腱再生有限和增生性瘢痕的形成,在治疗和恢复方面带来了重大挑战。基于干细胞的治疗方法显示出有前景的应用,但仍存在挑战。物理和生物线索在指导干细胞分化和成熟方面起着重要作用。本研究专注于探索基质生物力学对肌腱干/祖细胞(TSPCs)分化的影响。我们制造了具有不同弹性模量的聚二甲基硅氧烷(PDMS)基底,以模拟健康肌腱的机械特性。开发了组织工程化的成肌腱培养系统,并将预分化的组织工程化肌腱移植到体内,以评估它们在再生髌腱损伤方面的效果。此外,我们证明生物力学刺激激活整合素-αm 以增强 TSPCs 的成肌腱能力。我们的研究结果强调了生物力学在肌腱组织工程中的重要性,并为增强肌腱再生提供了新的视角。