Advance of adipose-derived stem cells in tendon tissue engineering

Abstract

Tendon tissue engineering is a novel therapeutic strategy for severe tendon injury and loss. Adipose derived stem cells (ASCs) have been studied extensively, due to their potency to differentiate into musculoskeletal tissue precursors such as osteoblasts, chondrocytes, adipocytes, and tendocytes under specific cues and high ability of proliferation. Resources of ASCs are ubiquitous and isolation of ASCs is secure, simple and minimally invasive. Mounting evidences demonstrate that ASCs may be involved in tendon tissue engineering and repair the severe injury of tendon under stimulation of various growth factors and other appropriate fittings.