Histological evaluation of tendon formation using a scaffold-free three-dimensional-bioprinted construct of human dermal fibroblasts under in vitro static tensile culture

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: . METHODS: = 4, respectively). RESULTS: Histology of the tension-loaded group revealed longitudinally aligned collagen fibers with increased collagen deposition and spindle-shaped cells with prolonged culture. By contrast, the tension-free group showed no organized cell arrangement or collagen fiber structure. Additionally, the tension-loaded group showed a significantly improved tendon-maturing score as compared with that for the tension-free group at week 8. Moreover, immunohistochemistry revealed tenascin C distribution with a parallel arrangement in the tensile-loading direction at week 8 in the tension-loaded group, which exhibited stronger scleraxis-staining intensity than that observed in the tension-free group at weeks 4 and 8. CONCLUSIONS: .