Tendon disorders frequently occur and recent evidence has clearly implicated the presence of immune cells and inflammatory events during early tendinopathy. However, the origin and properties of these cells remain poorly defined. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the presence of cells in healthy rodent and human tendon tissue fulfilling macrophage-like functions. Using various transgenic reporter mouse models, we demonstrate the presence of tendon resident cells in the dense matrix of the tendon core expressing the fractalkine (Fkn) receptor CX3CR1 and its cognate ligand CX3CL1/Fkn. Pro-inflammatory stimulation of 3D tendon-like constructs in vitro resulted in a significant increase in the expression of IL-1ß, IL-6, Mmp3, Mmp9, Cx3cl1, and epiregulin which has been reported to contribute to inflammation, wound healing, and tissue repair. Furthermore, we demonstrate that inhibition of the fractalkine receptor blocked tendon cell migration in vitro and show the presence of CX3CR1/CX3CL1/EREG expressing cells in healthy human tendons. Taken together, we demonstrate the presence of CX3CL1+/CX3CR1+ “tenophages” within the healthy tendon proper potentially fulfilling surveillance functions in tendons.

Christine Lehner

Gabriel Spitzer

Renate Gehwolf

Andrea Wagner

Nadja Weissenbacher

Christian Deininger

Katja Emmanuel

Florian Wichlas

Herbert Tempfer

Andreas Traweger

Disease Models & Mechanisms

疾病模型与机制 (DMM) 是一本在线开放获取期刊，专注于使用模型系统更好地理解、诊断和治疗人类疾病。

DMM Disease Models and Mechanisms is an online open-access journal that focuses on using model systems to better understand, diagnose, and treat human diseases.

《DMM Disease Models and Mechanisms》是一本在线开放获取期刊，专注于通过模型系统深入理解、诊断和治疗人类疾病。

DMM Disease Models and Mechanisms

Tenophages: a novel macrophage-like tendon cell population expressing CX3CL1 and CX3CR1

The presence of a macrophage-like, CX3CL1/CX3CR1-expressing tendon cell population within the healthy tendon proper, which potentially fulfills a surveillance function in tendons is demonstrated.

Category	Quartile
医学	3
医学, 病理学	2
医学, 细胞生物学	3

Tenophages: a novel macrophage-like tendon cell population expressing CX3CL1 and CX3CR1

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