Tendon Progenitor Cells (Stm)

Tendon progenitor cells of the axial skeleton are of somitic origin and are defined as Scleraxis-positive cells. They are first detected in the somitic syndetome at E9.5 of mouse embryonic development, where they are localized between the differentiating muscle and chondrogenic condensations. Development of tendon progenitor cells in the syndetome depends on early signaling from the developing myotome. Ablation of early myotome was shown to lead to the absence of axial tendon formation.