The Mkx homeoprotein promotes tenogenesis in stem cells and improves tendon repair

Tendons are essential structures that transmit mechanical forces generated by skeletal muscles to bones to cause body motion. Acute tendon injury and tendinopathy are common pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. However, a poor understanding of tendon biology has impaired the design of efficient treatments for tendon repair following injury and tendinopathy (1). A recent paper by Liu et al., published in Stem Cells in 2014 (2) highlighted an essential role for the Mohawk (Mkx) homeodomain protein in promoting tenogenesis in mouse stem cells and improving tendon repair in a mouse model for tendon injury.