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Introduction <p>Tendon gel is a translucent gel-like material secreted from the ends of a severed tendon. When mechanical stress is applied to a 3-day in vivo-preserved tendon gel, it matures into type I collagen–dominant tissue similar to normal tendon. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of transplanting a 3-day in vivo-preserved tendon gel into a knee medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury site in rabbits to promote intrinsic ligament regeneration.</p> Materials and methods <p>Tendon gel was prepared from rabbit Achilles tendons using the film model method and harvested after 3 days of in vivo preservation. The 3-day tendon gel was transplanted into the knee MCL injury sites in another set of rabbits (<i>n</i> = 48). Additionally, the healing process was assessed at 1, 2, and 4 weeks postoperatively using mechanical and histological analyses. Ultimate load, peak stress, and elastic modulus were measured. Histological maturity was semi-quantitatively scored, and collagen type I and III expressions were examined by immunofluorescence staining.</p> Results <p>At 2 weeks, the tendon gel group demonstrated significantly higher ultimate load than the control group (12.25 ± 4.90 vs. 5.25 ± 2.40&#xa0;N; <i>p</i> = 0.02). The tendon gel group had greater peak stress than the control group (3.54 ± 1.44 vs. 1.69 ± 0.78 MPa; <i>p</i> = 0.02). Histological scores were higher in the tendon gel group than in the control group (7.25 ± 0.43 vs. 5.50 ± 1.73; <i>p</i> = 0.03). Cells in the tendon gel group were aligned parallel to collagen fibers with elongated nuclei, while type I collagen expression was stronger than that observed in controls.</p> Conclusions <p>Transplanting a 3-day in vivo-preserved tendon gel into an injured ligament enhanced mechanical strength and histological maturation at 2 weeks postoperatively. These findings suggest that this tendon gel serves as a promising biomaterial for accelerating ligament healing.</p>

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Tendon gel using the film model method promotes ligament healing in rabbits

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月17日

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  • Rikuto Yoshimizu,
  • Junsuke Nakase,
  • Kazuaki Yoshioka,
  • Toru Kuzumaki,
  • Kojun Torigoe,
  • Satoru Demura

摘要

Introduction

Tendon gel is a translucent gel-like material secreted from the ends of a severed tendon. When mechanical stress is applied to a 3-day in vivo-preserved tendon gel, it matures into type I collagen–dominant tissue similar to normal tendon. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of transplanting a 3-day in vivo-preserved tendon gel into a knee medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury site in rabbits to promote intrinsic ligament regeneration.

Materials and methods

Tendon gel was prepared from rabbit Achilles tendons using the film model method and harvested after 3 days of in vivo preservation. The 3-day tendon gel was transplanted into the knee MCL injury sites in another set of rabbits (n = 48). Additionally, the healing process was assessed at 1, 2, and 4 weeks postoperatively using mechanical and histological analyses. Ultimate load, peak stress, and elastic modulus were measured. Histological maturity was semi-quantitatively scored, and collagen type I and III expressions were examined by immunofluorescence staining.

Results

At 2 weeks, the tendon gel group demonstrated significantly higher ultimate load than the control group (12.25 ± 4.90 vs. 5.25 ± 2.40 N; p = 0.02). The tendon gel group had greater peak stress than the control group (3.54 ± 1.44 vs. 1.69 ± 0.78 MPa; p = 0.02). Histological scores were higher in the tendon gel group than in the control group (7.25 ± 0.43 vs. 5.50 ± 1.73; p = 0.03). Cells in the tendon gel group were aligned parallel to collagen fibers with elongated nuclei, while type I collagen expression was stronger than that observed in controls.

Conclusions

Transplanting a 3-day in vivo-preserved tendon gel into an injured ligament enhanced mechanical strength and histological maturation at 2 weeks postoperatively. These findings suggest that this tendon gel serves as a promising biomaterial for accelerating ligament healing.