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Review
. 2025 Apr 6;47(4):251.
doi: 10.3390/cimb47040251.

Research Progress on the Preparation and Application of Decellularized Tendons

Jing Li  1   2 , Mingxing Wen  2 , Sujuan Zhang  3 , Lingfei Du  3 , Xin Fan  1   3   4 , Hao Liang  1   3   4 , Hong Wang  1   3   4 , Jing Sun  1   3   4 , Yuchun Ding  1   3   4 , Liangpeng Ge  1   3   4 , Jideng Ma  2 , Jinwei Zhang  1   3   4
Affiliations
Review

Research Progress on the Preparation and Application of Decellularized Tendons

Jing Li et al. Curr Issues Mol Biol. .

Abstract

Tendons connect animal skeletons to skeletal muscles, playing a crucial role in weight-bearing and maintaining motor functions. After decellularization, tendon extracellular matrix (tECM) retains the physicochemical characteristics similar to those of native tendons. This has made tECM a promising biomaterial in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in recent years. This paper summarizes the origin, structure, and ECM components of animal tendons, reviews decellularization methods, and discusses recent advancements in the research and applications of decellularized tendons. Furthermore, it explores future development trends of xenogeneic decellularized tendon materials, aiming to provide a reference for fundamental research and the development of biomaterials related to decellularized tendons.

Keywords: applications; decellularization; structural components; tendons.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic diagram of tendon structural hierarchy. Collagen molecules initially aggregate to form collagen protofibrils. These collagen protofibrils then aggregate to form collagen fibrils. Subsequently, collagen fibrils combine to form fascicles that increase in diameter.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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