Identification of a Tendon Phenotype in GDF6 Deficient Mice

✍ Scribed by Borjana Mikic; Kerri Rossmeier; Louann Bierwert

• Book ID: 102746270
• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 824 KB
• Volume: 292
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1932-8486
• DOI: 10.1002/ar.20852

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Increasing evidence suggests that the growth/differentiation factors, GDFs 5, 6, and 7 in particular, may play a role in tendon and ligament biology. Mice with genetic mutations in Gdf5 have altered tendon composition and mechanical behavior, whereas animals with functional null mutations in Gdf7 have a more subtle tendon phenotype. The present study demonstrates for the first time that a null mutation in Gdf6 is associated with substantially lower levels of tail tendon collagen content (−33%) in 4‐week‐old male mice, which has direct functional consequences for the mechanical integrity of the tissue (45–50% reduction in material properties). These data support a role for GDF6 in tendon matrix modeling. Anat Rec, 292:396–400, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.