Tendons are highly specialized connective tissues, which play an important role in normal and smooth moving of joints. Damage of tendons, due to joint injuries and their very limited capability to regenerate on their own, poses a serious problem. The conventional approach of surgical repair has its limitations in terms of efficacy and acceptance of foreign tissues by the body. A considerable amount of research has been done to stimulate the regeneration of tendons artificially using tissue engineering approaches. However, the fundamental biological mechanisms related to tendon repair are still not well understood. A wide range of factors including cell-cell and cell-substrate interactions can influence the orientation, differentiated phenotype and matrix biosynthesis of tenocytes. All three factors are critical for the development of successful tissue engineering strategies for tendon repair.

In this work, we report the effect of physical cues on orientation behavior, growth and proliferation of tenocytes. We make use of simple microfabrication approaches to create patterned surfaces suitable for in vitro studies of tenocytes. These patterned surfaces comprise microgrooves of differing dimensions. Our studies demonstrate that orientation of tenocytes depends on the cross-sectional dimensions of these physical features. The results of this study will give us better insight into the biology of tendon repair, and it will provide design rules for the alignment and growth of tenocytes on microfabricated substrates that could lead to clinical procedures to achieve tendon repair.

Extended Abstract Status: Not Uploaded