Interleukin-6 Promotes Proliferation but Inhibits Tenogenic Differentiation via the Janus Kinase/Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription 3 (JAK/STAT3) Pathway in Tendon-Derived Stem Cells

Background Previous studies demonstrated that tendon-derived stem cells (TDSCs) were vital healing cells and that mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 was significantly upregulated in injured tendons. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of IL-6 on the TDSCs in vitro.