Tendon Cells (TC)

Tendon cells are the basic functional units of tendons, which synthesize and secrete extracellular matrix such as collagen to maintain the metabolism of tendon tissue. Tendon cells or tenocytes or  are elongated fibroblast-like cells. The cytoplasm is stretched between the collagen fibers of the tendon. They have a central cell nucleus with a prominent nucleolus. Tendon cells have a well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum and they are responsible for synthesis and turnover of tendon fibers and ground substance. Although tendon cells seem an obvious choice as a cell source, in vitro expansion of tenocytes remains a challenge due to rapid tenogenic phenotype drift.