Scleraxis is required for the growth of adult tendons in response to mechanical loading.

ABSTRACT: Scleraxis is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that plays a central role in promoting tenocyte proliferation and matrix synthesis during embryonic tendon development. However, the role of scleraxis in the growth and adaptation of adult tendons is not known. We hypothesized that scleraxis is required for tendon growth in response to mechanical loading and that scleraxis promotes the specification of progenitor cells into tenocytes. We conditionally deleted scleraxis in adult mice using a tamoxifen-inducible Cre-recombinase expressed from the Rosa26 locus (ScxΔ) and then induced tendon growth in Scx+ and ScxΔ adult mice via plantaris tendon mechanical overload. Compared with the WT Scx+ group, ScxΔ mice demonstrated blunted tendon growth. Transcriptional and proteomic analyses re

SUBMITTER: Gumucio JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7406294 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature