Data from: Human CD29+/CD56+ myogenic progenitors display tenogenic differentiation potential and facilitate tendon regeneration

Tendon injury occurs at high frequency and is difficult to repair.
Identification of human stem cells being able to regenerate tendon will
greatly facilitate the development of regenerative medicine for tendon
injury. Genetic and functional analyses identify human CD29⁺/CD56⁺
myogenic progenitors with tenogenic differentiation potential in vitro and
in vivo. Transplantation of human CD29+/CD56+ myogenic progenitors
contributes to injured tendon repair and thus improves locomotor function.
Interestingly, the tendon differentiation potential in mouse muscle stem
cells is minimal and the higher TGFβ signaling level may be the key for
the distinct feature of human CD29+/CD56+ myogenic progenitors. The
discovery of bi-potential CD29⁺/CD56⁺ myogenic progenitors highlight their
potential as a novel adult stem cell source for tendon regeneration.