Advances in study of the characteristics of tendon-derived stem cells

Tendon-derived stem cells are multi-potent adult stem cells with broad differentiation plasticity that render them of great importance in cell-based therapies for the repair of tendons, and they provide new directions for the pathogenesis study of chronic tendon disease and the treatment of various diseases. However, information of the distribution, function and regulation mechanism of tendonderived stem cells in vivo still remain limited and controversial. This review focuses on the origin, microenvironment and regulatory factors of tendon-derived stem cell to expound the possible biological characteristics and to explore the potential research directions.