Growth factors and gene transfer with DNA strand technique in tendon healing.

Growth factors are likely to be critically involved in all aspects of tendon healing and many studies, in vitro and in vivo, have tried to define the role of growth factors in this process, and to determine appropriate strategies for their use in tissue engineering to improve the healing of tendons. Gene transfer, with DNA strand technique, may offer the optimal vehicle for growth factor delivery to improve tendon healing. In this article, we will discuss phases of tendon healing, review recent work that has shown the role that growth factors play in this process, describe the potential that experimental gene transfer has in delivering these growth factors to the local wound environment, and outline perspectives for improvement of tendon healing.