Tendon healing: Biological principles and augmentation with autogenous mesenchymal stem cells. Current concepts

Abstract

Tendons are tough fibrous structures that connect muscles to bones and withstand exceptionally high tensile loads [1]. By transmitting muscular forces to bones, the tendons largely contribute to joint and body movements. However, continuously bearing loads may lead to tendon injuries and tears [2]. Tendons generally heal slowly due to poor blood supply. The strength of the created scar tissue is biomechanically weaker than the original tendon and therefore a significant risk of re-rupture exists [3]. Functional restoration of the injured tendon still presents a challenge and it is mainly affected from both intrinsic and extrinsic factors [4].