Natural 3D Extra Cellular Matrix mimicking stem cells seeded decellularized scaffolds as a platform for tendon regeneration

Achilles tendon, which connects the calf muscles to heel, is the strongest tendon in the body. Despite its strength, it is more prone to injury due to its limited blood supply. Tendon‐related injuries are more common in sportspersons, people with labor‐intensive work and the aged community. The currently available treatment mode is surgery which is expensive with chances of re‐injury. Present study made an attempt to fabricate a tissue‐engineered tendon product using decellularized tendon (DT) seeded with stem cells and bioactive components of Tinospora cordifolia extract (TCE). The bare DT tissue scaffold/substitute may also serve as a drug delivery platform for growth factors and cells with a new approach to promote tissue regeneration in clinical applications. DT construct showed good regenerative potential and easily promoted new tissue formation. Decellularization of the tendon was carried out by chemical method using tri (n‐butyl) phosphate (TnBP). DT was physicochemically characterized by contact angle measurement, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and mechanical testing. Rabbit adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (RADMSCs) were isolated and phenotypically characterized by flow cytometry analysis, tri lineage differentiation, and so forth. Further, stem cell seeded DT scaffolds were prepared and found to be non‐toxic by cytotoxicity, cell adhesion by scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis, cell viability by live dead assays, and so forth. The findings of this study yield valid proof for the employability of cell‐seeded DT construct as a natural scaffold in repairing injured tendons—the toughest chords of the skeleton. This is a cost effective method for the replacement of injured/damaged tendons for athletes, people in labor‐intensive occupations, the elderly population, and so forth—a boon towards the repair of the tendon in damage/injury. Schematic representation of the development of scaffolds for tendon tissue engineering applications.