Spatiotemporal protein distribution of TGF-β, their receptors, and extracellular matrix molecules during embryonic tendon development

Tendon is one of the least understood tissues of the musculoskeletal system in terms of development and morphogenesis. Collagen fibrillogenesis has been the most studied aspect of tendon development, focusing largely on the role of matrix molecules such as collagen type III and decorin. While involvement of matrix molecules in collagen fibrillogenesis during chick tendon development is well understood, the role of growth factors has yet to be elucidated. This work examines the expression patterns of transforming growth factor (TGF) -beta 1, -beta 2, and -beta 3, and their receptors with respect to expression patterns of collagen type III, decorin, and fibronectin. We focus on the intermediate stages of tendon development in the chick embryo, a period during which the tendon micro- and macro-architecture are being established. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that TGF-beta 1, -beta 2, and -beta 3 have distinct spatiotemporal developmental protein localization patterns in the developing tendon and strongly suggest that these isoforms have independent roles in tendon development.