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How to Toughen up Tendons (2/2)

Researchers focus on repair of torn tendons, the rubber band-like tissues that join muscle to bone

Creating support for healing tendons

Tendons seem to heal better when they have different levels of certain structural proteins surrounding the tissue cells. The cells stimulate production of the right mix of proteins by secreting certain "growth factors." A key protein is called interleukin-10, which the research group administers, aiding, the repair process to avoid formation of scar tissue.

But that alone might not be enough. So elsewhere in the lab, Roert Mauck, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery and bioengineering, is spinning webs. He weaves stretchy plastic fabrics to implant in injured lab animals-a sort of scaffold for growing new tendon cells. The scaffold dissolves after a few months, when it is no longer needed.

Mauck begins by dripping clear liquid polymer from a hole in the bottom of a tube. He applies voltage to the liquid, driving the molecules apart and turning the drips into a fine spray. The spray lands on a metal cylinder that is spinning at 7,000 revolutions per minute, wrapping around it in layer after gossamer-thin layer until the result is a light, elastic material.

  Structural repair
Implanted as a scaffold, Mauck's elastic material will take the place, temporarily , of the collagen and other extra cellular proteins that will be produced during healing. The scaffolding material can be implanted by itself; the cells grow into it from the surrounding tissue. Scar tissue is a weak, disorganized mess. A scaffold, by contrast, mimics the structure of a healthy tendon. "It's like a scaffold for a building," says Mauck.

  Worth the wait

Mauck built his web spinner for less than $100, using materials from a DIY home repair store and a secondhand motor. The process is still in the experimental stage, and won't be used in humans for years. But for anyone with a tendon injury, it will be worth the wait.

Vocabulary Focus

gossamer (adj) ---very delicate and light

DIY (adj) ---abbreviation for do-it-yourself; describing a task done by a non-professional; often refers to home repairs.

Specialized Terms

voltage (n) --- 电压 the force of an electric current, measured in volts

collagen (n) --- 胶原蛋白质 a protein found especially in the joints of humans and animals