Preparation of Decellularized Bovine Tendon Scaffold and Evaluation of Its Interaction with Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Background: Tissue engineering is the science of tissue design and one of the main branches of regenerative medicine that aims to improve and repair tissue injuries. Objectives: This study aimed to decellularize the tissue of bovine Achilles tendon and create a natural 3D scaffold. Then, the interaction of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAd-MSCs) with this 3D scaffold was evaluated for use in tendon injuries. Methods: The bovine Achilles tendon was obtained from a slaughterhouse and decellularized by the combination of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Histological and biomechanical tests were used to evaluate the quality of decellularized scaffolds. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were cultured on scaffolds, and cell viability and cell behavior were evaluated by the MTT test and scanning electron microscopy. Results: The results of histological and biomechanical tests showed the complete removal of cells with the preservation of the extracellular matrix. The results of cell culture on scaffolds also showed that optical absorption in scaffolds containing cells increased over time. Conclusions: In general, the decellularized scaffold in this study did not undergo significant structural changes in the tendon tissue. The interaction between hAd-MSCs and the decellularized scaffold revealed that the scaffold was somehow suitable for cell culture. However, it needs to be more investigated for use in the treatment of tendon injuries of the athletes.