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Review Article Volume 13 Issue 4
Toward biologically functional ACL repair: from mechanical reconstruction to regenerative strategies
Meadows Sarah, Tawil Bill
Received: September 28, 2026 | Published: October 15, 2026
Citation: Sarah M, Bill T. Toward biologically functional ACL repair: from mechanical reconstruction to regenerative strategies. J Appl Biotechnol Bioeng. 2026;13(4):135-142. DOI: 10.15406/jabb.2026.13.00428
Abstract
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a common orthopedic problem that affects knee stability, athletic function, and long-term joint health. Current ACL reconstruction techniques can restore mechanical stability, but they do not fully reproduce the biological structure and function of the native ligament. This paper reviews healthy ACL anatomy, the failed healing environment after rupture, current reconstruction options, clinical demand, and emerging regenerative strategies. Existing approaches, including autografts, allografts, and synthetic grafts, each address part of the problem but remain limited by incomplete remodeling, graft-to-bone integration challenges, reinjury risk, and long-term joint degeneration. Tissue-engineering strategies offer a promising path forward by combining biomaterial scaffolds, cellular activity, biologic signaling, mechanical conditioning, and interface engineering.
Keywords: anterior cruciate ligament, ACL reconstruction, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, ligament repair, scaffold
©2026 Sarah, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.