Sex differences in tendon structure and function.

ABSTRACT: Tendons play a critical role in the transmission of forces between muscles and bones, and chronic tendon injuries and diseases are among the leading causes of musculoskeletal disability. Little is known about sex-based differences in tendon structure and function. Our objective was to evaluate the mechanical properties, biochemical composition, transcriptome, and cellular activity of plantarflexor tendons from 4 month old male and female C57BL/6 mice using in vitro biomechanics, mass spectrometry-based proteomics, genome-wide expression profiling, and cell culture techniques. While the Achilles tendons of male mice were approximately 6% larger than female mice (p < 0.05), the cell density of female mice was around 19% greater than males (p < 0.05). No significant differences in mechanical

SUBMITTER: Sarver DC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5503813 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature