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Updated: Apr 28, 2026
Evaluation of Stem Cell Therapies in a Bilateral Patellar Tendon Injury Model in Rats
Published on: March 30, 2018
Efficacy of a mesenchymal stem cell loaded surgical mesh for tendon repair in rats
Lew C Schon1, Nicholas Gill, Margaret Thorpe
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, 3333 North Calvert Street, Johnston Professional Building, Suite 400, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA. lewschon@gmail.com.
Objectives:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a composite surgical mesh for delivery of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in tendon repair.
Methods:
The MSC-loaded mesh composed of a piece of conventional surgical mesh and a layer of scaffold, which supported MSC-embedded alginate gel. A 3-mm defect was surgically created at the Achilles tendon-gastrocnemius/soleus junction in 30 rats. The tendon defects were repaired with either 1) MSC-loaded mesh; or 2) surgical mesh only; or 3) routine surgical suture. Repaired tendons were harvested at days 6 and 14 for histology, which was scored on the bases of collagen organization, vascularity and cellularity, and immunohistochemisty of types I and III collagen.
Results:
In comparison with the other two repair types, at day 6, the MSC-loaded mesh significantly improved the quality of the repaired tendons with dense and parallel collagen bundles, reduced vascularity and increased type I collagen. At day 14, the MSC-loaded mesh repaired tendons had better collagen formation and organization.
Conclusion:
The MSC-loaded mesh enhanced early tendon healing, particularly the quality of collagen bundles. Application of the MSC-loaded mesh, as a new device and MSC delivery vehicle, may benefit to early functional recovery of the ruptured tendon.
