An Infographic from ANS415 Equine Systems Management at Iowa State University

1. Blood-derived Stem Cells for
Superficial Digital Flexor
Tendon Injuries in Horses
ELLAINE SUGIAN

2. Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon
(SDFT)
Superficial Digital Flexor
Tendon Injuries in Racehorses. Also common in
show jumping, endurance riding, and dressage
Treatments include
retirement, medication, therapy and surgery
Blood-Derived Stem Cell
Treatment can repair tendon injuries by
quickly regenerating new quality tissue

3. Blood-Derived Stem Cell Treatment Mechanism
Blood
samples
collected from
lower limbs of a
horse
Nucleated blood cell
fraction is isolated by
ammonium chloride,
incubated, centrifuged, and
washed with phosphate-
buffered saline
Cells are re-suspended
in 5ml PBS and incubated for
72 hours at 37 degrees
Celsius in presence of
macrophages colony-
stimulating factor and
gentamicin sulfate
Cytometry analysis to
characterize stem cell
phenotype
Ultrasonographic
localization of the
SDFT
Injection
of cell with 2.5
ml syringe into
suspensory
digital flexor
tendon

4. Study Results
Citation
• Images a, c,
and e are
horses 1, 2,
and 3 on the
day of
diagnosis
• Images b and
d are horse 1
and 2 after 3
months
• Image f is
horse 3 after 6
months
“EXCELLENT ADVENTURES IN THE GAME or how i turned my
money into bales of hay”. Website. 2011 July 9. Image.
<http://waytintotheraces.blogspot.com/2011/07/brave-
monarch-retired.html>
Fiske-Jackson, Andy. “Tendon Injuries in Horses-Treatment
and Healing”. Vetsonline. Website. 2014 January 27.
Images and text. <http://www.vetsonline.com/
publications/veterinary-times/archives/n-44-
04/tendon-injuries-in-horsesa-a-treatment-and-
healing.html#f5>.
Dreamstime. Website. Image.
<http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-illustration-
science-microscope-cartoon-vector-clipart-created-
adobe-illustrator-eps-format-illustration-use-web-print-
image41776500>.
G. Marfe, G. Rotta, et al. “Use of blood-derived stem cells
(BDSCs) for superficial digital flexor tendon injuries in
horses. 2012. Science Direct.