Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To review the research progress of tendon tissue engineering in the process of tendon repair.
METHODS: A computer-based search of PubMed database and VIP database from January 1993 to October 2009 was performed for articles regarding the tendon tissue engineering, bio-mechanical analysis of tendon scaffolds, biomaterials’ application in tendon tissue engineering and tissue engineering technology in the clinical application of tendon defect repair. English key words are “tendon transplantation, tissue engineering, biological material, cell stent”, Chinese key words are “tendon transplantation, tissue engineering, biomaterials, cell scaffold”. A total of 132 literatures were screened out.
RESULTS: At present, the tendon tissue engineering research has achieved remarkable results, but there are still some problems for clinical practice and mass production. Many issues need to be further studied and solved prior to tissue engineering truly becomes a treatment of tendon defect and functional reconstruction, such as the best source of seed cells, the ideal scaffold material, the best culture conditions and detection methods of implantation in vivo.
CONCLUSION: Truly realizing the replacement of human tissues and organs with the in vitro prefabricated living implant, still faces many challenges.