Athletes know that damage to a tendon can signal an end to their professional careers. But a consortium of scientists, led in part by USC School of Dentistry researcher Songtao Shi, has identified unique cells within the adult tendon that have stem-cell characteristics - including the ability to proliferate and self-renew.
The research team was able to isolate these cells and regenerate tendon-like tissue in the animal model. Their findings hold tremendous promise for the treatment of tendon injuries caused by overuse and trauma.
The results of their research will be published in the October 2007 issue of the journal Nature Medicine and will be available online at http://www.nature.com/nm on Sunday, September 9, 2007.
Tendons, the tough band of specialized tissues that connect bone to muscle, are comprised of strong collagen fibrils that transmit force allowing the body to move. Tendon injuries are a common clinical problem as damaged tendon tissue heals slowly and rarely regains the integrity or strength of a normal, undamaged tendon.
“Clinically, tendon injury is a difficult one to treat, not only for athletes but for patients who suffer from tendinopathy such as tendon rupture or ectopic ossification,” Shi says. “This research demonstrates that we can use stem cells to repair tendons. We now know how to collect them from tissue and how to control their formation into tendon cells.”