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Abstract: Tendons are
frequently injured, but current treatment strategies aimed at repairing or regenerating
tendon have remain insufficient due to a limited understanding of which factors regulate
cell behavior, matrix assembly, and mechanical properties. By elucidating these factors,
we will gain valuable insights into how tendons heal and develop, which may allow for
improved tendon tissue ... read moreengineering strategies. Tendon healing and development are
characterized by substantial extracellular matrix turnover, which is thought to be
driven by matrix metalloproteinases, including MT3-MMP. MT3-MMP has been shown to be
present in embryonic tendon, but only at late stages of development by Western blot.
MT3-MMP has been implicated as a possible regulator of tissue development, but its role
in tendon development has not yet been revealed. Here, a detailed description of MT3-MMP
production during embryonic tendon development is presented, and substrate elastic
modulus is explored as a potential regulator of MT3-MMP production. Immunofluorescent
staining and image analysis were utilized to measure MT3-MMP protein distribution during
tendon development. Embryonic tendon progenitor cells were cultured on polyacrylamide
gels of different elastic moduli to determine the effect of substrate elastic modulus of
MT3-MMP production. Our results showed that MT3-MMP protein is present throughout tendon
development, and protein production decreases in response to increased substrate elastic
modulus, possibly through the actin
cytoskeleton.
Thesis (M.S.)--Tufts University,
2014.
Submitted to the Dept. of Biomedical
Engineering.
Advisor: Catherine
Kuo.
Committee: Mitch McVey, and Qiaobing
Xu.
Keyword: Biomedical
engineering.read less
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