Publication: Ultrastructure of myotendinous junctions in
tendon-skeletal muscle constructs engineered in vitro
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Date
2009
Authors
Kostrominova, Tatiana Y. ; Calve, Sarah ; Arruda, Hellen M. ; Larkin, Lisa M.
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Publisher
Murcia: F. Hernández
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DOI
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info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
Abstract
During development, the interaction between
tenocytes and myotubes leads to the formation of highly
specialized muscle-tendon structural interfaces:
myotendinous junctions (MTJs). Structural integrity of
MTJs is critical for force transmission from contracting
muscle through tendon to bone. We recently developed
an in vitro model of three-dimensional (3-D) skeletal
muscle-tendon constructs to address mechanisms of the
MTJs development. We hypothesized that engineered in
vitro 3-D skeletal muscle-tendon constructs would
develop MTJs ultrastructurally resembling those found
during fetal development in vivo. To test this hypothesis
we compared MTJs structures in vivo to those developed
in 3-D skeletal muscle constructs co-cultured with
engineered self-organized tendon constructs (SOT), or
segments of adult (ART) or fetal rat tail (FRT) by means
of electron microscopy. Our study showed that at sites of
termination some of the myofibers of the engineered 3-D
skeletal muscle-FRT and -SOT constructs displayed
emerging finger-like sarcolemmal projections
surrounded by collagen fibers. These structures resemble
fetal MTJs in vivo. Muscle-ART constructs did not
develop MTJs. Muscle-FRT constructs in addition to
muscle and tendon also demonstrated well developed
cartilage, possessing high potential for development into
bone. The muscle-FRT construct model could be used
for studies of developmental mechanisms involved in the
establishment of interfaces among all four muscularskeletal
tissues: muscle, tendon and cartilage/bone.
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