Elucidation for mechanisms of development and regeneration in tendon and ligament

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Tendon and ligament are dense, fibrous connective tissues that allow for body movement. Elucidation for mechanisms of development and regeneration in these tissues is important research subject because tendon and ligament tissues heal very slowly and rarely recovers completely. We identified Mkx as a transcription factor specifically expressing in tendon and ligament. To investigate the in vivo functions of Mkx, we generated Mkx^<-/-> mice. These mice had hypoplastic tendons throughout the body. We also observed a downregulation of type I collagen in Mkx^<-/-> tendons. These data indicate that Mkx plays a critical role in tendon differentiation. We also performed the screening for upstream and downstream factors of Mkx, and identified the candidate genes. These findings will serve as a basis for understanding molecular mechanisms of tendon differentiation and may provide a therapeutic target for tendon injuries and tendon related diseases, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.