Cell therapy has been used with promising results in the treatment of equine tendinitis. However, there are still doubts about the persistence and behavior of these cells implanted in the injured tissue and their migration to other inflamed sites. The aim of this study was to evaluate the labeling of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with nanocrystals before and after implantation in experimental tendinitis of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) of horses, observing the migration possibility of MSCs marked to another lesion, performed on the contralateral limb of the same animal. An experimental lesion was induced in SDFT in both forelimbs of five horses, and after seven days autologous MSCs labeled with Qtracker(r) 655 were implanted in one member of the animals. Tendon biopsy was performed for subsequent histopathological evaluation using fluorescence microscopy seven days after the implant. Cell viability test was also performed before and after incubation with the cell labeling kit. MSCs labeled and injected into the tendon tissue maintained their fluorescence seven days after their implantation and there was no migration to the contralateral limb. The use of nanocrystals for labeling MSCs was effective because it does not alter cell viability and remains active during the experimental period.
equine; mesenchymal stem cells; nanocrystal; tendinites; migration
