Tendons and ligaments (T/L) are highly durable, structural tissues used to enable complex motion. Aging and overuse can damage the T/L via small tears in the collagen-rich tissue that can accumulate to precipitate failure. The natural healing process of T/L damage is slow and often incomplete. Our goal is to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the healing process and identify a pathway to accelerate tissue repair. We hypothesize that control over the restoring collagen concentration, anisotropy, and strain at the injury site will rapidly restore damaged tissue to a healthy, defect-free state. To test this hypothesis, we developed a continuous collagen network to serve as a cell-free T/L model. The model system was then exposed to physiological strains and soluble proteins (i.e., collagen) and enzymes (i.e., collagenase) to restore tissue mechanics after injury. The quality and strength of the repair will be assessed by quantifying the orientation of the fibers and tissue mechanical properties. If successful, the experiment could translate to new physical therapy protocols and injectable therapies.

Bridge between muscle and bone: Investigation of tissue repair and regrowth

256th National Meeting (2018)

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