Stem Cell Applications and Tenogenic Differentiation Strategies for Tendon Repair

Figure 1

Schematic presentation of basic tendon structure. Plenty of microfibrils aggregate into fibrils that progressively group together into fibers arranging from head to tail in the tendon. Bundles of fibers are ensheathed by endotenon, which enables fiber groups to slide against each other with low friction and also transports blood vessels for nourishing the deeper part of the tissue. Fiber bundles then group together into fascicles and encompassed by endotenon. Finally, fascicles are bound together by the epitenon to develop the tendon.