Embryonic stem cells have unlimited proliferative capacity, which may provide a source of tendon stem/progenitor cells for tissue engineering. Experts of International Science and Technology Collaborative Program of Ministry of Science and Technology have developed a protocol consensus on differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into the tendon cells. The consensus recommends a protocol of two-step generation of human embryonic stem cells into tendon cells: the human embryonic stem cells are first differentiated into mesenchymal stem cells on different material surfaces; then with the scaffold-free tissue engineering tendon formed by high-density planting, the mesenchymal stem cells are induced into tendon cells under static or dynamic mechanical stimulation in vivo and in vitro. Tissue engineering tendon established in vitro by the protocol can be used as a model in toxicological analysis and safety evaluation of tendon-relevant small molecule compounds, medical materials and drugs.
胚胎干细胞具有无限增殖能力,可能为组织工程提供肌腱细胞或肌腱祖细胞的来源。为规范人胚胎干细胞来源的肌腱细胞的分化方法,提高人肌腱细胞的纯度,保证分化方法的可重复性,使其更系统、规范和有效地应用于临床和生物安全性评价体系中,科技部国际合作专项有关专家制定了《人胚胎干细胞向肌腱细胞分化方法共识》。共识建议通过两步法将人胚胎干细胞诱导为肌腱细胞:首先利用不同材料表面将人胚胎干细胞诱导为成体间充质干细胞,然后采用高密度种植形成无支架组织工程肌腱,并利用静态或动态力学刺激在体内外环境下将成体间充质干细胞诱导成肌腱细胞。由此建立的体外组织工程肌腱可作为检测评价模型,对小分子化合物、医用材料和药物进行肌腱相关的毒理学系统分析和安全性评价。