The idea behind biomimetic matrices, such as pre-vascularized scaffolds, is to mimic the structural and biological processes during musculoskeletal tissue development and design functional biomimetic structures such as decellularized pre-vascularized osteonic structures which promote stable blood vessel formation in vivo throughout bone healing.
Tendon fibrosis results in reduced functionality and increased risk of re-injury, yet the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving tendon healing remain incompletely understood. Healing is regulated by both extrinsic and intrinsic cell activities, often leading to fibrotic tissue with poor mechanical integrity. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which mediate cell-to-cell communication and transport bioactive molecules, have emerged as key players in tissue repair. However, the specific role of EVs in modulating tendon fibrosis remains largely unexplored. This work aims to investigate how different microenvironments influence EV phenotype and function in healthy and diseased in vitro tendon models.
