Fig. 1

Appearance of bioartificial tendons (BATs) two hours after seeding C3H10T1/2 murine fibroblasts in a collagen type I matrix (day 0), or after maturation and prior to mechanical elongation (day 7). Whereas cell-laden BATs become thinner over time due to cell-based matrix remodelling and thus appear tendon-like, cell-free BATs do not change their appearance over time and stay loose and friable. Moreover, when cell-laden BATs are released from tension by cutting one anchor (see “tension release”), they rapidly degenerate within one day by shrinking