POS8-1165
Tendon-Bone Interface Regeneration Facilitated by 3D Architectures Guiding Spatial Cell Alignment and Multiphase Tissue Integration
Topic
S8. Frontiers of Functional Polymers in Biology and Medicine
When and Where
Sep 30, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Heesuk KIM
Jinhye BAE
Presenter(s)
Jinwoo Na (Hanyang university)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Tendon and ligament injuries account for nearly 30% of musculoskeletal traumas globally, with over 4 million new cases reported annually. Rotator cuff tears affect more than half of adults over 65 years old, leading to over 1.1 million surgical repairs each year. Despite surgical repair, re-tear rates remain high up to 94% in severe cases, indicating the urgent need for improved regenerative therapies. Regeneration of the tendon-bone enthesis remains a significant challenge in tissue engineering due to the necessity of simultaneously reconstructing two mechanically and biologically distinct tissues, and the aligned structures mimicking native tendon. In this study, developed a biodegradable polymer scaffold incorporating cell alignment-guiding architectures and controlled delivery of inductive cues to promote spatially organized regeneration of the tendon-bone interface. To induce tenogenic and osteogenic differentiation, transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) were immobilized on nanofibers and integrated with human adipose derived stem cells (hADSCs) to fabricate composite spheroids, which were subsequently positioned within the scaffold. The composite spheroids exhibited differentiation toward tendon and bone tissues. Upon the positioning of the spheroids into the scaffold, the composite spheroids were aligned along the scaffold’s cell alignment inducing features, further enhancing tenogenic differentiation and spatial organization. This approach to enthesis tissue engineering, which combines multiphase differentiation with structural guidance, may reduce re-tear rates and improve functional outcomes in clinical applications of tendon-bone healing.
