Researchers believe Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) may be safe and effective for tendon injuries in humans after a study performed on racehorses. In a controlled study, researchers took racehorses with a naturally occurring over-strain injury to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT), which is a weight-bearing tendon that shares many similarities to human Achilles tendons, and implanted them with bone marrow-derived MSCs. The MSC treated tendons exhibited a decreased reinjury rate in comparison to horses treated with other therapies. These results have lead researchers to believe that MSCs may be a safe and effective form of treatment for human tendinopathies. Although more research and human trials are needed to assess the efficacy of MSCs for tendon injury, the results provide evidence for the vast regenerative potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells.
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