Mechanical, compositional, and structural properties of the post-natal mouse Achilles tendon

Ann Biomed Eng. 2011 Jul;39(7):1904-13. doi: 10.1007/s10439-011-0299-0. Epub 2011 Mar 23.

Abstract

During post-natal development, tendons undergo a well orchestrated process whereby extensive structural and compositional changes occur in synchrony to produce a normal tissue. Conversely, during the repair response to injury, structural and compositional changes occur, but in this case, a mechanically inferior tendon is produced. As a result, the process of development has been postulated as a potential paradigm through which improved adult tissue healing may occur. In this study we measured the mechanical, compositional, and structural properties in the post-natal mouse Achilles tendon at 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 days old. Throughout post-natal development, the mechanical properties, collagen content, fibril diameter mean, and fibril diameter standard deviation increased. Biglycan expression decreased and decorin expression and fiber organization were unchanged. This study provides a new mouse model that can be used to quantitatively examine mechanical development, as well as compositional and structural changes and biological mechanisms, during post-natal tendon development. This model is advantageous due to the large number of genetically modified mice and commercially available assays that are not available in other animal models. A mouse model therefore allows future mechanistic studies to build on this work.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Achilles Tendon / cytology*
  • Achilles Tendon / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Compressive Strength / physiology
  • Computer Simulation
  • Elastic Modulus / physiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Models, Anatomic*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Stress, Mechanical
  • Tensile Strength / physiology