Frontiers in Bioscience-Elite (FBE) is published by IMR Press from Volume 13 Issue 2 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.
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Tendon is a poorly vascularized and highly specialized connective tissue containing few scattered cells that play an important role in the musculoskeletal apparatus by resisting mechanical stress. Because of the slow rate of the metabolism of its molecular components, the tendon gradually loses its mechanical properties and may rupture upon an array of physical activities. In this report, we discuss the molecular changes involved in the extracelluar matrix-tendon interactions leading to tissue degeneration and rupture.