Review Article
Stem cell-based therapy in anterior cruciate ligament repair
Abstract
In the past, the suture repair of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has been reported with poor results, which indicated the poor healing potential of ACL. However, the poor results were attributable not only to a low intrinsic healing potential of the ligament, but also to other environmental factors that include mechanical environment, inflammatory condition, blood supply, nutrient delivery, and the supply of growth factors. Recently, biological manipulation could be an available option among several potential options. This includes the use of growth factors, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), stem cells, and biological scaffolds. With these tools, augmented ACL repair has been investigated to accelerate repair and regeneration. Specifically, stem cell-based therapy has been paid great attention based on the potential of stem cells to regenerate tissue. This review describes the current understanding of capacity of ACL healing and summarizes the current status of related stem cell therapy. Future limitations and perspectives are also discussed.