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Hox Genes and Limb Musculoskeletal Development

  • Skeletal Development (E Schipani and E Zelzer, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

In the musculoskeletal system, muscle, tendon, and bone tissues develop in a spatially and temporally coordinated manner, and integrate into a cohesive functional unit by forming specific connections unique to each region of the musculoskeletal system. The mechanisms of these patterning and integration events are an area of great interest in musculoskeletal biology. Hox genes are a family of important developmental regulators and play critical roles in skeletal patterning throughout the axial and appendicular skeleton. Unexpectedly, Hox genes are not expressed in the differentiated cartilage or other skeletal cells, but rather are highly expressed in the tightly associated stromal connective tissues as well as regionally expressed in tendons and muscle connective tissue. Recent work has revealed a previously unappreciated role for Hox in patterning all the musculoskeletal tissues of the limb. These observations suggest that integration of the musculoskeletal system is regulated, at least in part, by Hox function in the stromal connective tissue. This review will outline our current understanding of Hox function in patterning and integrating the musculoskeletal tissues.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Holly Fischer for creating the illustrations.

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Conflict of Interest

K. M. Pineault and D. M. Wellik declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

All studies by K. M. Pineault and D. M. Wellik involving animal research were performed after approval by the appropriate institutional review boards.

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  1. Program in Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2200, USA

    Kyriel M. Pineault & Deneen M. Wellik

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2200, USA

    Deneen M. Wellik

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Pineault, K.M., Wellik, D.M. Hox Genes and Limb Musculoskeletal Development. Curr Osteoporos Rep 12, 420–427 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11914-014-0241-0

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