Abnormal collagen fibrils in tendons of biglycan/fibromodulin-deficient mice lead to gait impairment, ectopic ossification, and osteoarthritis
Small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs) regulate extracellular matrix organization, a process essential in development, tissue repair, and metastasis. In vivo interactions of biglycan and fibromodulin, two SLRPs highly expressed in tendons and bones, were investigated by generating biglycan/fibromodulin double-deficient mice. Here we show that collagen fibrils in tendons from mice deficient in bi