SVF
Level C· Early Human ResearchProspective Study

Enhancement of Rotator Cuff Regeneration via Injectable Spheroidal Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Cluster-Collagen Hydrogel Complex.

Choi JH., Shim IK., Goh H., Hwang SR., Jeon IH., Koh KH.

Prospective Study on Tendon Injury, Rotator Cuff, Scar, published in J Orthop Res (2026) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.

This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.

Study type
Prospective Study
Journal
J Orthop Res (2026)
Country
United States
Reported sample size
—
PMID
41906199
DOI
10.1002/jor.70186

Abstract (original English)

Rotator cuff repair often results in scar tissue rather than tendon regeneration, leading to inferior strength and high re-tear risk. This study evaluated the regenerative efficacy of an injectable formulation combining adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) clusters with collagen in an animal model. ADSCs from patients were formed into spheroids and mixed with collagen. Rats with surgically induced cuff injury received injections of (1) no treatment, (2) spheroid-only, (3) collagen-only, or (4) combined spheroid-collagen. Tendon healing was assessed by histology (H&E, Masson's trichrome, Safranin O, picrosirius red) and biomechanical testing. Safety was verified through biodistribution, toxicity, and tumourigenicity studies in immunosuppressed mice. Gene expression analysis of the ADSCs and the spheroid-collagen complex confirmed an upregulation of regeneration-related transcription factors, indicating a potential for enhanced rotator cuff regeneration. Histological analysis showed that the combined group achieved significantly higher histological scores (11.33 ± 0.61 vs. 8.33 ± 1.33, p = 0.001) and tendon strength (16.57 ± 4.58 vs. 7.94 ± 1.44, p = 0.005) compared with controls. In terms of safety, No injected cells were found in other organs, and no toxicity or tumourigenesis was observed. Importantly, administered cells persisted at the injection site in the combined group for up

What this study does not prove

  • • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.

Evidence level

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples, often without a control group.

How we grade evidence
AnimalsCollagenRotator Cuff InjuriesRegenerationMaleHumansRotator CuffAdipose TissueRatsStem Cell Transplantation
ShoulderTendon InjuryRotator CuffScar
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